Pokemon Black & White: Tale of a Legend
by Cottonmouth25
Summary: Volan and his Pidove wait anxiously for his sister to come of age. When she finally does, they set out on their journey together. But there are always obstacles in the way - Team Plasma, Volan's troubled past, his longing for a certain girl, and the strange white Pokemon haunting his very existence... Will Volan overcome all this and save Unova from N? Feedback much appreciated!
1. Prologue

**Greetings and many great hellos!**

**This is a fanfic based directly off of the plot of Pokemon Black and White. However, I'm incorporating my own plot twists in this story, just like all of my others. I'm also writing this at the same time as my Pokemon Mystery Dungeon fanfic, so updates will likely be few and far between.**

**This fanfic has been greatly inspired by Coli Chibi's "Pokemon Black and White: Tony's Journey", as well as The Gentleman Xerneas' "Extended Complete Unova Pokemon Guide", so I thank you both thusly for giving me these inspirations.**

**I do not own Pokemon, which stinks thoroughly, but I do own the three OCs I shall be using.**

**So, without further ado…**

-.-.-.-.-.

The young boy sat down heavily on the sofa. Volan looked up from his book at the fourteen-year-old. Petromyzon seemed nervous, and Volan was very well aware of what was causing his son's nerves – or at least, he thought he was aware of it. After all, Petro would soon be fifteen, and old enough to go on a journey throughout Unova with his first Pokemon.

Volan understood his son's nerves very well. It wasn't like the boy was unused to Pokemon – he had grown up with more than a dozen! Although Bernice and the others remained loyal to Volan and his wife, they still deeply cared about Petro. Even Reshiram liked the boy. Petro's birth had helped her get over her initial depression of being separated from her brother for so long.

"Dad?" Petromyzon said suddenly, and Volan put his book down. "What is it, son?" he asked, more curious than concerned.

But Petro's next words shocked him; "How did you and Mom meet, exactly?"

The middle-aged man cocked his head in bewilderment. He hadn't been expecting that kind of question. Bernice, who had been resting on the arm of his armchair, so to speak, raised her head and looked at him questioningly.

"What brings you to ask that?" Volan asked. Petro sighed and twiddled his thumbs. Rudy stomped over to the boy and sat down beside him, patting him on the back with one of his claws. Petro was pushed forward slightly with each blow, but he knew that Rudy meant well.

Petro opened his mouth at last. "There's this girl that lives across the street…" he said, then trailed off and blushed with embarrassment. But Volan smiled understandably. "Go on," he said, waving his hand for his son to continue.

"She asked me if we could take our journeys together," Petromyzon went on. "And I said yes without even thinking. Now that I've had a chance to think about it, I'm really nervous. I'm going to be travelling for who knows how long with the girl I've liked for years, and…" he trailed off again and said nothing more.

Volan got up and sat on Petro's other side. "So you want to know if it was the same for me when I met your mother on my own journey." It wasn't a question, but Petro nodded anyway.

"It was love at first sight, wasn't it?" the boy asked after a moment.

Volan grinned and said, "For me it was. I'm not too sure about your mother, though. She's never told me. She seems to delight in keeping me in suspense." He chuckled, and the Pokemon who had been listening laughed knowingly as well.

Volan adjusted his glasses and continued, "Well, Petro, in order for me to answer your initial question, I'm going to have to tell you the whole story."

On these words, Petromyzon looked up at his dad with surprise in his eyes. As if on cue, the Pokemon around the room stopped what they were doing – mostly sleeping – and gathered around expectantly.

"You're really going to tell me the whole story, Dad?" Petro asked in awe. "How you went traveling with your sister and Bernice? How you fought the Gym Leaders and the King of Team Plasma? How you met the Pokemon that gave me my name? How you faced betrayal and abandonment, and how you met the Legendary Pokemon that's been watching over the family ever since I was born?"

_Ever since he was born…_ Volan smiled at the memory. Petromyzon had grown up with Pokemon, but when he had asked what they were exactly, Volan had had a wonderful time explaining to the five-year-old about a world filled with wondrous creatures, some "common and loyal like Bernice, mysterious and secretive like Wisp, and revered and legendary like Reshiram".

But now, all of the Pokemon – Bernice, Sol, Rudy, Pearl, Wisp, and more – were looking up at their master (master's husband in a few cases), waiting for him to tell the tale. All were eager to relive the good old days, and had been ever since Volan had promised his son to "tell him the entire story one day". And now, that day had come. Petromyzon looked at his dad expectantly.

Volan smiled and looked at the clock – it was only morning, and his wife was away for the day. He had an entire twelve hours to finally let the memories flow from his head, out his mouth, and into Petro's ears.

"It all started the night before our journey was to begin…"

-.-.-.-.-.

**Cliffhanger! We won't get to Volan's glory days until the next chapter. In this fanfiction, we will get to watch from the sidelines as Volan, indeed, goes traveling with his sister and first Pokemon, fights the Gym Leaders and the King of Team Plasma, meets the Pokemon that inspired his son's (odd) name, faces abandonment and betrayal, and meets the legendary white dragon of truth, that has been watching over him and his family ever since.**

**If you wish, you can take a stab at the identity of Volan's wife (girlfriend in the main body of the fanfic). Volan, his son, and his sister are the only OCs I'm using in this story, so she's a canon character. Most of you will probably hit the nail on the head when I post the first chapter anyway.**

**But I'm getting off topic – reviews are deeply appreciated, and see you soon!**


	2. Dreams and Recollections

_**Chapter 1 - Dreams and Recollections**_

**And now, the story begins in earnest! Here we see the start of Volan's journey as a Pokemon Trainer. We also see a little bit of insight into his past – well, further past, because this fanfic is technically a recollection of his adventures.**

**Blathering aside, let's get this show on the road already!**

**Transmorphic Wyvern: Yes, Volan's name comes from "Volantes", which is the Latin word for "flying".**

-.-.-.-.-.

The Gurei household was completely silent. It was midnight, and thus, no one in Lacunosa Town was stirring one bit. The air was thick with silence. There was not a single human or Pokemon to be seen.

In the aforementioned house, there were three humans. The adult woman was sleeping well for the first time in ages. Ever since the death of her husband, she hadn't been able to rest. But now, she finally seemed to be letting go. Her soft, calm breaths were the only thing audible.

Upstairs, a teenaged girl slept equally peacefully. She had finally managed to get to sleep only a few minutes ago, as she was excited beyond belief. In her dreams, the girl known as Thrin saw the moment as she had always imagined it – getting her first Pokemon from Professor Juniper, starting her Pokemon journey. She was turning fifteen tomorrow, so at last her dreams would become a reality.

But suddenly, the dream turned to a nightmare. Thrin saw the nighttime forest outside Lacunosa Town just as she had seen it years and years ago. One of her daredevil friends had convinced her to journey into the forest at night in order to see if the stories were true, and a horrifying monster prowled the forest at night.

That friend had gotten cold feet at the last minute and abandoned her, leaving her alone, lost in the dark forest. Thrin shivered in her sleep as she dreamt of the cold, unforgiving wild that she was stuck in.

But in her dreams, the forest seemed to get colder, as if all heat was being sucked from it. Thrin shivered harder as frost formed on the trees, mist rose from the ground, and snow began to fall. She remembered thinking, _This is summer! Why is it snowing?_ And then her thoughts turned to those of a lost little girl as she sniffled, crying softly out for help.

And then the trees in front of her were smashed down, and a gigantic icy creature was revealed. Thrin metaphorically froze at the sight, convinced it was going to eat her. The creature was hard to see in the dark, but she could make out huge, frozen armor and sinister yellow eyes.

The creature stepped forward and peered down at her. Thrin tried to make herself look as small and unappetizing as possible. But then, something strange happened. All the color faded from the world, turning it black and white. And although she herself could not see it, the creature saw in the gleam of her eyes the shadow of a huge black dragon.

The monster let out a frigid huff and stomped away into the forest.

Thrin let out a huge sigh of relief, and by the time her family found her, it was as if the monstrous creature and its cold chill had never been there.

-.-.-.-.-.

Next to Thrin's room, oblivious to his sister's trouble, her older brother slept as well. Volan was already legible to be a Pokemon Trainer, but had been loyally waiting for his sister to become of age. Tomorrow, he would be able to start on his journey with her. Volan was perhaps the only other person as excited as Thrin was for tomorrow.

A Pidove perched on his footboard. Bernice had been his closest companion since he had been born. The Normal-and-Flying type looked after him, and was as friendly and loyal as any Pokemon could be. She was to be Volan's Starter. Together, they would journey across Unova, battling Trainers and earning Gym Badges.

Bernice ruffled her feathers slightly, dreaming of that fateful day. The day she had let Volan down. The boy had only been twelve. "Piiii… doooove…" she cooed in her sleep as she shifted restlessly, trying to shake the nightmare away.

But Volan… Volan was smiling in his sleep. Ironically, impossibly, he was dreaming of that same day.

That day… exactly four years ago…

-.-.-.-.-.

_"Bernice!" Volan called. "Use your Quick Attack!"_

_"Pidooooooove!" she warbled confidently, streaking down from the sky with white light blazing behind her. Her opponent, a Sandile, was unable to dodge in time, and was sent sprawling. "Dile!" it exclaimed in pain._

_"Sandile, get up and use Dig!" called its Trainer, and the crocodile Pokemon was quick to obey. It sprang to its feet, clawing at the sand underneath it. Within moments, it was gone._

_Volan ordered, "Bernice, stay in the air so it can't reach you!" The Pidove nodded and flapped in rapid circles in the air, waiting for the Sandile to come out. Both of them knew that Bernice's Flying type gave her an edge._

_"That isn't going to help you, Bird Brain!" taunted the other Trainer, slightly older than Volan was now. "Sandile, use Sand Tomb to get yourself close!"_

_From the hole Sandile had dug, a tornado of sand erupted, spiraling higher and higher. The Sandile appeared in the center, spinning wildly as it gained height. Volan gasped and Bernice squawked in shock. "Pi-Pidooooove?!"_

_"Say goodbye to your Rattata with wings!" the Trainer crowed. "Sandile, finish it with Crunch!" The Sandile's teeth glowed and extended to twice their length as it spun closer to Bernice._

_"No one calls her a Rattata with wings and gets away with it!" Volan raged. "Bernice, get it with Air Cutter!" She flapped her now-glowing wings, sending several whirling blades of wind at the Sandile and its Sand Tomb._

_The Sand Tomb was torn to shreds, but the foe was already too close. The blades missed it entirely, and it lunged at Bernice. Its glowing fangs crunched down on her wing, causing her to shriek with pain. "Pidoooooooove!" Her cry was long and agonized. Tears sprung to Volan's eyes._

_The Sandile landed roughly on the ground as it tossed Bernice onto the ground, throwing up a cloud of sand. A moment later, the poor Pokemon was revealed to be slumped in an unconscious heap, feathers dirty and ruffled from the unsuccessful fight._

_The older Trainer approached the stricken twelve-year old. "Better luck next time, Bird Brain," he sneered, and shoved Volan hard to the side, sending him down to the ground, much to the amusement of the young crowd that had gathered to watch. Laughing, none of them paid any heed to Volan as he picked up Bernice's body and started to cry. The crowd left, with only a few glancing back and feeling sorry for the young boy._

_"This was supposed to be our vacation," he sobbed. "Bernice, why did it turn out so wrong? Why did our visit to Undella Town have to end this way?" He threw himself down on his knees, body wracked with continuous sobs._

_Volan slowly stopped crying, as he no longer had any tears to shed. He sniffled and cradled his friend in his arms, unaware that he was being watched._

_"Are you OK?" came the soft, timid voice, and Volan flinched badly. He turned around to see a girl about his age watching him. Her clothes and even the way she stood made him realize that she came from a wealthy family._

_However, she turned out to be the polar opposite of what Volan was expecting from a rich girl. She sat down beside him and gazed at him with sympathy emanating from her green eyes. "Are you OK?" she asked again._

_Volan nodded sadly and held Bernice a little tighter. "Everyone loses," she said simply. "Your Pidove just needs to rest. She'll be fine." The girl smiled kindly at Volan._

_"Who are you?" he croaked, wiping the dry tears from his eyes. She laughed softly and replied, "My name's Caitlin. I live just over there." She pointed down toward one of the large mansions on the other side of the beach._

_"I-I'm Volan," he said after a minute. Caitlin nodded and stretched out her arms. "Can I hold your Pidove? I… I've never held a Pokemon before."_

_Wordlessly, the boy handed over Bernice, now breathing peacefully. "She's beautiful up close," Caitlin said to him. "I've only ever seen Pidove from far away. I always assumed they were pests like other people say."_

_Volan felt a flash of anger. "Bernice isn't a pest," he said indignantly. "She's been with me forever. She's the kindest Pokemon I've ever known."_

_Caitlin handed the unconscious Pidove back to him and said guiltily, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset."_

_The two kids shared a long moment of silence together._

_"Are… I mean…" Volan stammered after a while. "Can we be friends?" he blurted, to which Caitlin grinned. "Of course," she said. "If you ever come back to Undella Town, you can visit me if you want."_

_The two new friends talked for a while. Volan told her that he lived in Lacunosa Town and was visiting his grandparents in Undella. Caitlin said that her dream was to become a Psychic-type Pokemon Trainer. Volan replied that he loved Flying-types. They talked more and more, with Volan soon forgetting the dilemma that had just taken place as he cheerfully chatted with Caitlin._

_She suddenly turned around in response to something only she could hear. "My mom's calling me," she explained. "I have to go." Volan nodded and said, "Thanks for making me feel better."_

_Caitlin's only response was a heartfelt hug before she got up and ran down the beach._

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan and Bernice had never forgotten that day. The Pidove remembered it for painful reasons, and painful reasons only – thus, she tried her best not to remember it. She never liked being reminded of the day she had let her master down.

The boy in question remembered that day for painful reasons as well. However, there was a happy reason embedded at the center of that pain. That reason was the memory of the girl Caitlin, who helped Volan recover from Bernice's defeat and the taunts of the other Trainers.

Four years had passed, and Volan never forgot her. He wondered where she was now, and what she looked like. He wondered if she remembered him. Now, the sixteen-year old boy shifted in his sleep and murmured her name wistfully.

_Caitlin…_

-.-.-.-.-.

**I think all of you can guess where this fanfic will eventually go.**

**This is my first "Pokemon Journey" fanfic, and I'm going to try and make it as good as possible. Please, readers, give me some feedback and make some suggestions! It'll help!**

**Volan and Thrin are the only two OCs in this entire story, so the Caitlin I'm referring to is the same one you fight at the end of the game.**

**Apparently Gurei means "grey" in Japanese. I thought it would be appropriate, considering Volan and Thrin are representatives of the playable characters in Black and White. ****Got that? Good.**

**Review please, and suggestions – be they for Pokemon companions or storyline ideas – are always welcome!**


	3. A Trainer's Start in Nuvema

_**Chapter 2 - A Trainer's Start in Nuvema**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**During the night, Volan and Thrin Gurei were each having separate dreams. Thrin had a nightmare of a terrifying monster she once encountered outside Lacunosa Town, and Volan dreamt of the terrible day his Pidove, Bernice, lost horribly to a bullying Trainer's Sandile. However, Volan was comforted by the girl Caitlin, whom he wishes to see again.**

**Now this story begins in earnest (I think I've said that already)! Let's get this started!**

-.-.-.-.-.

The Gurei household was usually busy – after all, there were two teenagers living there under one parent. Imagine the sibling rivalry that went on there on a daily basis. It was almost enough to drive a single mother mad.

But this morning, it was particularly busy. Volan and Thrin were helping each other get ready for their Pokemon journey. Yes, for the two of them, it was starting today. But it couldn't start until they were adequately packed with supplies.

"Thrin, toss me the maps," Volan called as Bernice fluttered around, helping as best as she could. A flat piece of paper struck him in the face, causing him to stumble and trip over his bag.

"You said toss it," Thrin said matter-of-factly, not even looking up from her position in the closet. "Funny," Volan muttered.

Not even five seconds later; "Volan, can you reach up here? You're taller." Sighing, he pushed her gently away from the closet as he effortlessly pulled the indicated clothing article off the top-most shelf.

"Pidooooove!" Bernice cooed as she dropped Volan's hat on his head. He smiled at her and stroked her head. "Thanks, girl," he said.

Soon, the siblings had everything they needed. They decided to go through it all just in case something was missing, though;

"Tent and sleeping bags?" Thrin asked.

"Check," Volan replied.

"Spare Pokeballs?" Thrin asked.

"Check," Volan nodded.

"Extra clothes?" Thrin asked.

"Still need to get mine," Volan admitted.

"Cross-transceiver?" Thrin asked, tapping her wrist. Volan tapped his own in confirmation.

"Bernice's Pokemon food?" Thrin asked, eyeing the Pidove pointedly.

"Damn it!" Volan swore, dashing down the stairs to the kitchen. Bernice took off and followed.

By the time Thrin had grabbed their bags and hauled them downstairs, Volan had already gathered the remaining three boxes in the pantry, trying to keep them away from Bernice (who hadn't had breakfast yet).

"Is Mom coming too?" Volan grunted, avoiding a peck from a hungry Bernice. His answer came from the other room; "Just a minute, Volan!"

Indeed, a minute went by before their mother, Emily Gurei, rushed in, all willy-nilly, grabbing her purse while fastening her earring. Thrin rolled her eyes at Volan behind her back, and he just grinned and shook his head. Their mother was a childhood friend of Professor Juniper, the Pokemon Professor that they were going to be visiting. Thus, she had been invited to stay with her for a few weeks after Thrin got her first Pokemon.

"Are you all ready, kids?" Emily asked, finally getting her things in order. "There's no turning back now," Volan shrugged.

"Yes, yes I am!" Thrin practically squealed.

"Piiiiiii! Doooooove!" Bernice squawked, fluttering down to perch on Volan's shoulder like a pirate's Chatot.

Their mom sighed almost in regret as she gazed at her two children, so grown up and ready to go on their journey across Unova. "Alright, then. I'm assuming she'll come here by car, in which case she'll probably be a few – what's that?" she suddenly paused, listening.

The sound came again – a loud, distant screech. "What in Arceus' name?" Thrin asked incredulously as Emily rushed to look out the window.

She started muttering to herself as she pulled away from the window. "Honestly, what does that crazy woman think she's doing? A car would have been more sensible, more child-friendly…"

Volan and Thrin shared a befuddled glance. Was she talking about Professor Juniper? Was she here already?

The two rushed outside with their bags, followed quickly by Emily. They blinked at the sight of a huge, flying thing headed straight for their house.

"Skaaaaaaaaaaar!"

It let out another screech as it rapidly flew closer. Volan gasped as he began to be able to make out details of the Pokemon. _A Skarmory!_

The Skarmory touched down gently on the front lawn, and two people jumped down. One was the woman they were planning to meet, Professor Juniper with her white lab coat and green skirt. The other was a girl slightly older than they were, with red hair and a blue outfit consisting of a cropped shirt and rather short shorts, so to speak.

"Hello, Volan, Thrin!" the Professor called with a jaunty salute. "I'm Professor Aurea Juniper – but I'm sure you already know that." She cast a glance at their mother, who walked over and shook her hand merrily.

The two women hugged briefly before turning back to the teenagers. But Volan didn't notice – he was too busy admiring the Skarmory, with its long, sharp beak and talons and sleek, shiny wings. And the Steel-type seemed just as curious about Volan as he was of it. "Skar!" it cawed, gently poking him with its beak.

"Skarmory likes you," said the girl that had arrived with the Professor. "My name's Skyla. I'm the Gym Leader from Mistralton City."

She extended her hand, and after a moment, Volan shook it warmly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Volan, and this is my friend Bernice."

"Pidooooove!" she cooed cheerfully, spreading her wings and flapping them. Skyla spared the Pidove a brief nod before turning back to Volan. "So, she's going to be your Starter?"

Volan grinned widely and nodded. "Yep. She's been with me for as long as I can remember."

The girl reached out and stroked Bernice's head, to which she cooed softly and tipped her head up, trying to nibble Skyla's fingers. She smiled before turning to Thrin, who had remained silent. "So you're Thrin? The girl who's getting her first Pokemon today?" she asked.

Thrin nodded as well, but before she could open her mouth, Professor Juniper spoke up. Volan had no idea that she had been watching. "Come on, kids," she said, "let's get going. I have two other new Trainers coming to the lab as well, so we can't keep them waiting."

Volan gave a sharp nod before turning back to the Skarmory. He paused, noticing something. "Um… Skarmory's big, but not big enough for five people."

Was that a relieved look he caught in Skarmory's eye?

Skyla facepalmed. "Silly me!" she exclaimed, giving Volan and Thrin a Poke Ball each. "Skarmory will carry me, the Professor, and your mom. Those two will carry you!"

"I've always wanted to do this," Thrin muttered as she tossed the Poke Ball, and Volan did the same thing. The two spheres opened up and released two powerful-looking bird Pokemon.

"Pidgo-tooooh!" crowed the smaller of the two. It was a magnificent Pidgeot.

"Kraaaaaaah!" the other screeched. It was a Fearow.

"Well?" Skyla said impatiently, hopping on top of her Skarmory and helping the two women up. "Get on, we don't have all day!" Hesitantly, Volan approached the Pidgeot, which made no threatening moves but gave him a slightly intimidating stare. After a moment, he gathered the courage to get on its back, gripping with his knees as he had learned in a book. Thrin did the same thing with Fearow, but much more cautiously.

When they were both on their Flying Pokemon, Skyla gave a sharp whistle. In unison, the three birds flapped strongly into the air. Volan gave a yell of surprise and wrapped his arms around Pidgeot's neck securely. He could see Thrin holding on to the base of Fearow's wings as they effortlessly rose into the air. The two teenagers watched in awe as the high walls of Lacunosa Town sank below them.

No longer confined. Free at last.

Volan got over his initial shock and gave a shout of pure joy as the landscape breezed by below him. This… this feeling… it was why he loved Flying-types. With wings, you were free. With wings, you could go anywhere you want without worry. With wings, you were no longer restrained to the ground – you could break free from gravity and soar high above the clouds. Volan couldn't help himself. He began to laugh, soon forgetting all about their immense height and spreading his arms wide, feeling the wind whip through his shoulder-length, dirty-blond hair. Bernice leapt off of his shoulder and joined her master in flight.

"Pi-Pidoooooove! _Now this is the way to travel!_" she cooed, but of course Volan didn't understand a lick of what she said.

Thrin, although initially terrified, caught a glimpse of her brother's happiness and tentatively let go of Fearow's wings. She squeezed tighter with her legs as she slowly stuck her arms out to the sides. Even she couldn't help but smile at the feeling.

Suddenly, Skyla steered Skarmory over, prompting startled exclamations from her two passengers. "Sure beats ground-walking, doesn't it?" Volan nodded enthusiastically, and Thrin agreed after a thoughtful moment.

The journey across Unova was magnificent. As Pidgeot carried him across the sky, Volan couldn't close his eyes for a second. Every time he turned, there was something new to see. Driftveil City looked tiny. The clouds were bigger and puffier than ever. A flock of Tranquill flew into their midst, most giving Bernice and the other fliers polite nods before flying off.

The wind started to get a little rough at once point, as they flew over the Pinwheel Forest. Volan couldn't tear his wide-eyed gaze from the trees, looking like a forest of broccoli from this distance. But only when he heard Skyla's urgent scream did he avert his eyes to the scene in front of him.

To his shock, massive, intimidating black clouds were gathering just in front of them. "Flashnboomer!" Skyla screamed again, pointing dead ahead. Thrin squeaked and held on tightly to Fearow. _Why do things have to go wrong so early?_ she thought in the part of her mind that wasn't giving in to panic.

"We have to get below it!" Emily cried fearfully. "My children will get killed!" Skyla saluted and confirmed, "Not to worry, ma'am. I'm a pilot. I've flown through storms worse than this when I was six years old."

She pointed down, and the three Flying Pokemon dove down below the storm clouds. Everyone's ears popped from the change in altitude, but anything was better than flying through lightning.

All of a sudden, rain began to lash at them, coming down in fierce torrents that stung their skin and rapidly chilled them to the bone. Skyla could be heard shouting orders to the three birds, which dove and flew wildly through the storm. Volan and Thrin hung on tightly to their mounts, very unwilling to fall off in these conditions.

The heavy rain made it impossible to see, but a sudden flash of lightning illuminated the area. Thrin could see the others rapidly moving ahead while Fearow struggled.

"Stop!" she cried out, but a rumble of thunder cut her off. "Stop! Don't leave me!" But soon, they were swallowed by the rain, and Thrin found herself alone.

The wind increased in strength, slamming into them. The Fearow struggled ever harder, but to no avail. They were going nowhere, and if this weather kept up, they might even die. Thrin shivered with cold, and sneezed.

But just then, there was a terrible, sky-shattering roar. Fearow shrieked in fear and doubled its efforts to get away. Another roar split the sky, and from the clouds behind them descended a powerful flying monster, immense black body wrapped in storm clouds. Its eyes burned red, and its tail blue. Thrin's eyes widened – was it just her, or did the lightning seem to be coming from the monster's tail?

_My life is filled with monsters,_ she thought as the beast closed in. She screamed in sheer terror as it reached out with its claws. The sharp, curved talons closed around Fearow's body, and it screeched, thrashing about and trying in vain to get free.

Thrin couldn't help staring at the massive Pokemon – was it a Pokemon? – as it flew on, swerving through the clouds and carrying Fearow in its claws. Where was it going? Was it carrying them off to be lunch? It certainly seemed the most likely option, as it glanced down at Thrin with what looked like hunger in its eyes.

"Please don't eat me! I'm not tasty!" she pleaded.

"GROOOOOOAAAAAHHH!" bellowed the monster, silencing her instantly. The black Pokemon paid her no heed after that, ignoring her hysterical, terrified sobs.

Thrin didn't notice right away when the rain began to lessen. But when she did, she could see through the remnant cumulonimbus clouds that they were leaving the storm behind. She looked up at her captor just in time to see it glance at her, grunt, and then fling her and Fearow out of the storm.

She kept staring at the black Pokemon even as Fearow squawked and began to fly again. The creature dipped its head in an unmistakable nod as it became wrapped in storm clouds once more. Thrin's mind whirled as she tried to comprehend what had just happened.

"THRIN!" came a familiar shout, and she looked up. Skarmory, Pidgeot, and Bernice were all flying some distance ahead and to her right. She tugged on Fearow's neck, steering it toward them. When she was back with the group, Emily burst into relieved tears.

"Oh, Thrin, darling!" she sobbed. "I w-was so worried! I thought w-we had l-lost you in the s-storm!" Professor Juniper patted her shoulder comfortingly, the look on her face telling Thrin that she was just as relieved.

"What in the name of Giratina's shadow happened to you?" Volan snapped, mostly out of worry. "You could have been killed!"

His sister tried to form the words to tell him that a mysterious black monster had saved her and flew her out of the storm. But she couldn't. Instead, she gulped and replied innocently, "Well, Fearow got us out, thankfully."

She swore she saw the bird roll its eyes.

Skyla jumped in with her chipper voice. "Look here, gang!" she sang, gesturing downwards. "There's Nuvema Town! Let's get you all down there and dried off, huh? We're all soaked and tired!"

There were nods of agreement all around as Skyla ordered her Pokemon to start the landing phase. The three birds all angled their wings and extended their talons, ready to land.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Nuvema Town**

"Mm, your hot chocolate is the best, Mrs. Gurei!" Skyla exclaimed as she chugged the rest of her glass in one go. The others nodded in agreement, and Emily just blushed and muttered sheepishly to herself.

The four of them – Volan, Thrin, Skyla, and the Professor – were sitting around the coffee table in Professor Juniper's living room, which turned out to be on the second floor of her Pokemon lab. Actually, the room itself was part living room, part kitchen, and his and Thrin's mother was at the stove heating up another pot of hot chocolate for them.

Volan looked around for the tenth time at the room, amazed that the Professor actually lived in the same building she worked in. _Does she ever leave?_ he wondered.

Bernice and the three other Flying-types were off to the side, pecking at their own individual bowls of Pokemon food. As it turned out, Professor Juniper made it herself – apparently she took the general brand and added her own choice items to the mix. Nevertheless, Bernice certainly seemed to be enjoying it. Volan made a mental note to ask the Professor for the recipe for his upcoming journey.

When they had all significantly warmed up and dried off from the deluge earlier, Professor Juniper stood up. "Well then," she said, clapping her hands decisively. "We might as well get down to business! Follow me please, kids!"

She motioned down the stairs, and walked down herself without waiting for the siblings to follow. Volan and Thrin glanced at each other – Thrin was grinning with excitement. Her brother grinned back, then called for Bernice, who was happily gobbling the last of her Pokemon food.

The Pidove finished the last piece, then fluttered over to perch on Volan's shoulder. He stroked her head and murmured, "You ready, Bernice? Thrin's going to get her first Pokemon, and then we can finally leave on our journey." Bernice cooed with excitement and flapped her wings, eager to get moving.

Thrin had already gone downstairs, so Volan followed in her footsteps. Him and Bernice ended up in the main part of the lab, which was filled with machines designed to analyze and study Pokemon. The room itself actually had a few Pokemon inside – an aide was observing a Klink on the other end of the room, and a Minccino was scurrying about underfoot, dusting things with its tail.

"Over here, Volan!" Thrin called, waving. Near one wall was a large machine, very large and complex-looking. In the center of the machine, there was a small opening, which sat just above a built-in tray, and at the top, there was a blank screen.

Volan walked over, looking at the machine curiously. Professor Juniper pressed a button, and the screen hummed to life, brightening and then displaying the silhouettes of three small Pokemon. _This is it!_ Thrin thought excitedly, and Volan could practically hear the thought as it ran through her mind.

"Now," Professor Juniper began, "traditionally, new Trainers in the Unova region begin their journey with one of these three Pokemon. Each one represents one of the three basic elemental types."

Volan and Thrin nodded wisely – they knew this already.

The Professor continued, "Of course, you, Volan, are a rare exception to this rule, already possessing a Pokemon as you are." Bernice trilled happily at this, puffing out her chest.

"And now…" the Professor finished dramatically, about to push another button, when suddenly the door opened.

"We're heeeeeere~!" a voice sang. "Professor, you called?" said another voice.

Volan and Thrin whipped around in shock. Two others were standing there, the boy calm and serious, and the girl hopping up and down with excitement.

"Oh yes!" Professor Juniper exclaimed. "Volan, Thrin, this is Cheren and Bianca. They will also be starting their journeys this day!"

The boy, Cheren, walked right up to Volan and stared at him as if sizing him up. Volan adjusted his glasses and looked at Cheren icily, waiting for him to back off. When he didn't, Bernice flapped her wings and created a small Gust that blew Cheren back a foot or two.

"Unusual," Cheren observed. "You already have a Pokemon."

Volan's demeanor grew icier. "So?" he shot back. "Bernice and I have been together since I was born. We're here because my sister's the one getting her first Pokemon today."

Cheren looked at Bernice for a few seconds before finally backing away. But Volan didn't even get a second to relax, because the girl Bianca got up in his face – or rather, Bernice's face.

"Ohhhhh, its so cuuuuuuuuute!" she squealed, reaching out to hug the poor bird.

"Um, Bianca, if you could let go…" Cheren murmured nervously. Bianca froze, then brightened again. "Oh, sorry!" she apologized cheerfully, releasing Bernice.

The Pidove lurched in the air awkwardly before straightening out and landing on Volan's shoulder again. Said boy turned his cold gaze to Bianca, who grinned and waved cheerily.

A sudden whirring sound caught the attention of the four. Professor Juniper had activated the screen again, allowing the silhouettes of the three Pokemon to brighten with color.

"The three of you," she began, addressing the three soon-to-be-Trainers besides Volan, "will have to choose one of these Pokemon to start your journey with. There's the Grass-type, Snivy" – she pointed to the green, serpentine Pokemon – "the Fire-type, Tepig" – she indicated the orange pig-like one – "and the Water-type, Oshawott!" she finished, gesturing to the little otter-like creature. "The only question is… who will pick who?"

The three looked at each other awkwardly, unsure of who would get to pick first. Thrin was particularly uncomfortable amongst Bianca and Cheren, because she could tell they had known each other for a very long time. _What's the expression… the third wheel?_ she wondered. _Because that's what I feel like right now._

Finally, Professor Juniper stepped in and settled the matter. "Why don't we let Thrin go first?" she suggested happily. "She did get here first, after all, and the early Pidove gets the Sewaddle!"

At this remark, Volan heard Bernice's stomach growl.

Thrin approached the screen, looking over the three choices for a very long time. Beside Volan, Bianca rocked back and forth on her heels, surprisingly patient for such an… energetic girl. Cheren stayed as still as ever. Suddenly, Volan became aware of Skyla and his mother watching from behind him, just as curious as he was to see what Thrin would pick.

At last, she made a decision. "I choose Tepig!" she declared. The moment she said so, there was a clicking sound, and a Poke Ball rolled out of the opening at the bottom of the machine and onto the tray.

"Congratulations!" Professor Juniper said, and Emily and Skyla burst into delighted applause. "You've chosen the strong, dependable Fire-type, Tepig!"

"Go, my new friend!" Thrin cheered, hurling the Poke Ball into the air. It opened with a bright flash, and sparkles emanated from the energy that poured out from the inside. In a moment, the Pokemon had appeared at Thrin's feet.

"Tepig! _Hello!_" it squealed, instantly leaping into Thrin's arms. She stumbled, startled at first, then laughed and cradled the pig in her arms. "Hello!" she replied. "My name's Thrin!"

She suddenly turned to Professor Juniper and asked, "Does he have a name?" The Professor shook her head. "Nope, but feel free to give it one!" Thrin thought long and hard about this, before coming to a conclusion. She looked down at the ecstatic Tepig and told it, "From this moment forth, your name will be Oliver!"

Oliver snorted with a moment's confusion, but then squealed "Tepig!" happily and nodded over and over again. "Guess that's that," Volan laughed shortly.

It was now Bianca's turn to pick a Pokemon, after Cheren graciously muttered, "Ladies first." She blushed with embarrassment and thanked him before turning to the screen and looking at the two choices left over.

"I'm gonna go with Snivy, 'cause it's cute!" she exclaimed, pointing at Snivy's picture dramatically. An instant later, the Grass Snake's Poke Ball had rolled out of the opening and into Bianca's waiting hands.

She hurled the Pokeball, and it opened up to reveal the Pokemon inside. Twice the height of Bernice, Snivy looked around haughtily before hissing with approval. "Snivy," she said quietly, regarding her new Trainer with interest. Bianca looked ready to pass out with happiness.

Last was Cheren. "Oh well," he sighed. "I wanted Oshawott from the beginning anyway." The machine obligingly spat out the Poke Ball, and he picked it up with care before tossing it with a small grin on his face.

The sea otter-like Pokemon immediately threw itself against Cheren's leg with adoration, nuzzling it happily. "Osha, Oshawott!" it said, beside itself with jubilation.

Suddenly, Bianca took a powerful step forward and looked around determinedly at her three companions. "Well, we're Trainers now!" she announced. "And there's only one thing that Trainers do with each other!"

She pointed dramatically at Volan, Cheren, and Thrin in turn, much to their bewilderment. "I challenge the three of you to a Double Battle!" Bianca cried, eyes burning with the flame of a challenge.

-.-.-.-.-.

**So, Thrin has her first Pokemon! And just to let you know – Bernice is the name of Bert's pigeon from "Sesame Street". I think so, anyway. Feel free to confirm/correct me.**

**"Flashnboomer" is what they call a thunderstorm in the Shark Wars series.**

**And just why was Thrin rescued by Zekrom? Why does she seem to be so connected to this legendary monster?**

**Give me some feedback about how this is going so far, and wait for the next chapter!**

**Zekrom: "GROOOOOAAAAHH! ****_REVIEW!_****"**


	4. Friendly Rivalry

_**Chapter 3 - Friendly Rivalry**_

**L****ast time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Thrin got her first Pokemon! But not before getting lost in a thunderstorm and subsequently being rescued by an ominous black Pokemon. Arriving at Nuvema Town safely, her and her brother Volan were challenged to a Double Battle by a new Trainer named Bianca, of whom Volan doesn't seem too fond of…**

-.-.-.-.-.

"A Double Battle?" Volan asked, dumbfounded and mildly suspicious. Bianca nodded ferociously and declared, "Yep, that's right – a battle where two of us team up to take down the other two!"

Cheren added smugly, "Or get flattened by them. But I assure you, I'll be doing the flattening."

Professor Juniper and Skyla were nodding their approval. "A battle sounds like the best thing you guys can do right now with your Pokemon," the Professor stated with an encouraging smile.

Skyla added, "It'll help increase your bond with the little guys, I promise!"

Volan smirked at Bernice. "You want to do this, just like old times?" The Pidove nodded, eager to make up for their last battle four years ago. "Doooove, Pidoooove!" she cried, circling up to his head and flaring her wings with a determined glare.

They were taken to an outdoor battlefield behind the lab. Professor Juniper, from the look of it, had set it up so new Trainers could have a thrilling first battle with their Pokemon. It was very well-built, resembling the official Pokemon League battlefields Volan and Thrin had seen on television.

Bianca eagerly teamed up with Thrin, claiming that "girl power" would win the day. That left Cheren with no choice but to team up with Volan. He didn't mind, and when Volan asked why, he stated, "Your Pidove's Normal-and-Flying-type will help counter my Oshawott's weakness to Snivy's Grass type."

Volan nodded, rolling the reason around in his head and deciding it made logical sense. He still wasn't happy he got paired up with a total stranger, though.

Skyla was the referee, while Volan and Thrin's mother and Professor Juniper sat on the bench to watch from the sidelines. Although Volan was the only one out of the four who had participated in a battle before, he still felt the same thrill of excitement at the concept of battling once again. Indeed, his excitement was caused partly by the nostalgia of being by Bernice's side again.

"This will be a two-on-two Double Battle, folks!" Skyla announced. "In one corner is the unbeatable girl power of new Trainers Thrin and Bianca, and in the other, is a combination of the smarts and experiences of Cheren and Volan! The battle will concede when both Pokemon on the opposing team have fainted! Ready, steady, go!"

"Bernice, open up with Air Cutter!" Volan instantly ordered, and Bernice barraged the opposing team with a series of air blades. Thrin and Bianca's Tepig and Snivy ran frantically away from the blades, which exploded into smoke as they hit the ground.

"You're not getting away with that!" Bianca cheered. "Snivy, use Vine Whip on Bernice!" With a _what-an-odd-Trainer_ glance at the girl, Snivy unleashed two vines from inside her hood.

Before the Pidove could react, the vines dealt a devastating one-two lash combo. Bernice was smacked to the side, and then slammed into the ground by the double blows. Thrin took the opportunity to strike. "Oliver, give her your Tackle!"

"Tepig! _Take this!_" Oliver squealed, then ran full force at the fallen Bernice. But Cheren was quick to defend his teammate. "Oshawott, Water Gun now!" he instructed.

"Osha-WOTT!" the Water-type shouted, blasting the oncoming Tepig with a jet of water. The Fire-type was smashed back to Thrin's side by its ultimate weakness, coughing up water and snorting weakly.

"You can do it, Oliver! Get up and fight back!" Thrin encouraged, and Oliver was soon on its feet again. But Volan decided to strike down Bianca's Snivy as payback for what she did to Bernice. "Give that Snivy a Quick Attack!" he called.

"Pi-doooooooove!" Bernice shrieked, infusing herself with white light, which then streaked behind her as she dove at a supersonic speed. Snivy never saw it coming, and was sent down to the ground by the blow.

"Take that!" Volan shouted, confidence getting a boost. Bianca gasped with horror upon seeing her Snivy injured so badly. Bernice was definitely powerful, something Bianca and Cheren rapidly made a note of.

Cheren took the next move. "While Snivy's down, use a Tackle!" he commanded Oshawott, and his Pokemon ran right at Bianca's as the Grass-type was busy getting back up.

Thrin was a fast learner, it seemed. "Oliver, use Tail Whip on Oshawott!" she told it. "Tepig!" his replied, then ran in between the charging Oshawott and the exhausted Snivy. Sticking his tail out in Oshawott's path, he managed to trip Oshawott and sent him flying into the dirt. "Osha!" he moaned in pain.

"Snivy, now! Give him a Vine Whip~!" Bianca sang. Immediately, Snivy got up and released her vines. "Sniiiii-vy!" she cried, lashing poor Oshawott twice with the whips.

Despite Oshawott's power with Oliver earlier, he couldn't stand up to Snivy's Grass-type attack. With a final moan of "Woooott…" he keeled over and fell still.

"Yeeeeeaaaah! Oshawott's unable to battle, so that leaves Bernice the Pidove against Oliver and Snivy!" Skyla cheered, beside herself with excitement. Professor Juniper and Emily both leaned forward in their seats, anxious to see who would come out on top.

Cheren sighed and returned Oshawott to his Poke Ball. "Maybe next time," he murmured to it. Now it was all up to Volan, and he wanted to see how the more experienced Trainer handled himself.

"Bernice, give them a Gust to throw them off balance!" Volan yelled. Bernice cooed in the affirmative, wings taking on a white glow. The huge whirlwind that followed was enough to blow Oliver and Snivy back several feet as they struggled to hang on.

"Hang on, Oliver, and use your Ember attack!" Thrin called. Oliver suddenly managed to stand his ground and blast a burst of fiery light from his nostrils, straight at Bernice.

There was no way Bernice could dodge, but Volan had an idea. "Bernice, increase the power of your gust and blow it back at Oliver!"

"Piiiiii…DOOOOOOVE!" she cried, doubling the power of her Gust. Volan could see her sweating a bit as she strained to maintain the attack.

While the Ember wasn't entirely deflected, it was slowed down to the point where it was almost useless. It faded mid-air, allowing Bernice to stop the Gust and drop to the ground, thoroughly exhausted.

"Now, Snivy!" Bianca called. "Use your Tackle!" The snake-like Pokemon shot off like a bullet and slammed into Bernice, sending her tumbling to rest beside Volan.

The boy tried to shake Bernice awake. "You okay, girl?" he asked tentatively, and the Pidove responded by leaping to her feet and shaking away the dust on her feathers. "Pi-Pidoooove!" she cooed triumphantly, hopping back into the battle.

"She won't stay standing for long!" Thrin said furiously. "Oliver, Ember again!" But just as Oliver was about to fire, the over-eager Bianca shouted, "Finish her with Tackle, Snivy!"

Both attacks were launched at the same time. Snivy ran right toward Bernice, but Oliver's Ember smashed into her back and caused super-effective Fire-type damage. "Sny!" she exclaimed, voice tight with pain as she tumbled into the dirt. A moment later, Snivy lay still.

"Snivy's unable to battle!" Skyla sang. "Taken down by her own teammate, Bianca's out of the fight. Now it's a long-awaited-for match between brother and sister!"

While Thrin thought Skyla's speech was a little over the top, she was willing to let it slide if it meant giving her the chance to defeat her brother in her first Pokemon battle. _This is the day I finally best Volan! This is the day I become a Pokemon Trainer!_

"Oliver, give Bernice your strongest Ember ever!" she cried, eyes practically alight with flames.

"Tepig-Tepig-Tepig… Te-PIIIIG!" Oliver squealed, unleashing a blast of fiery embers with all the force he could muster. No Gust would be able to stop that.

"Bernice, dodge that!" Volan cried. The Pidove jumped into the air and evaded the flame. "Now, hit him with your Hypnosis attack!" On the sidelines, Cheren's eyebrows shot up, and Professor Juniper brought a hand to her mouth in surprise.

Bernice's eyes glowed a bright blue, and a triangle of spheres appeared around her, which spun around quickly. Oliver suddenly grew completely focused on the spheres, indeed almost hypnotized. When the triangle faded, the Fire-type fell over on its side and began to snore.

"No, Oliver!" Thrin wailed. Volan smirked at his trump card and cried, "Let's end this, my friend! Barrage him with Air Cutter!"

"Pidooooooove!" Bernice trilled shrilly, and bombarded the battlefield with air blades. Many of the blades fell around Oliver, but four of them connected in quick succession, slamming into him one after the other. The air was filled with smoke and dust, and when it all cleared, Oliver was lying there in a daze, clearly unable to continue.

"We have a winner!" Skyla cheered, hopping up and down. "Volan and Cheren – technically just Volan – are the winners!"

Volan was overjoyed. His first battle with Bernice after the incident had come out a smashing success! This was indeed an awesome comeback from that devastating loss four years ago.

"We did it, Bernice, we won!" Volan enthused, bending down to reach the level of the bird Pokemon. The Pidove hopped up and down joyfully, cooing and flapping her wings. She was even more excited than he was that they had won.

"Congratulations, Volan!" Professor Juniper beamed at him. "That was impressive! Hopefully, all of you learned something about Pokemon battles this day."

Cheren and Thrin nodded, while Bianca stooped down to Bernice's level to coddle the "cute little birdy-wirdy!" Bernice just gave the girl a weirded-out stare and inched closer to Volan.

Emily was obviously just as enthusiastic to see her son win in such a fashion. "Oh, Volan! You're a winner already, and on your first day as a Trainer too!" She hugged her son tightly, much to his embarrassment, before turning to give Thrin a consolation hug.

Professor Juniper clapped her hands for attention. "Now that the four of you are official Pokemon Trainers," she started, "I have a few things for you on your journey. This is your Trainer's License," she explained, handing them all small cards with their pictures, names, and other assorted information on them. These, apparently, would explain to the various Gyms and Pokemon Centers around Unova that they were indeed Trainers.

"And," the Professor continued, "these are Pokedexes." She handed them all strange red contraptions. "These are digital encyclopedias that you can carry around with you – but they're incomplete. Therefore, whenever you meet a new Pokemon, you should scan it and collect data in order to fill the Pokedex up!"

The four instantly did just that, scanning the Pokemon of themselves and the others. When Volan scanned Bernice, for example, the device unfolded, and several pictures of a Pidove appeared on the top screen.

On the bottom screen, lines of text appeared, and a cheery, electronic voice stated, "**Pidove, the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon. These Pokemon live in cities, accustomed to people and flocking in parks and plazas. Each follows its Trainers' orders as best they can. This young female goes by the name of Bernice. Her ability is Big Pecks, and her attacks include Air Cutter and Hypnosis.**"

"OK, that's really cool," Thrin said after scanning Oliver, whom she now carried in her arms. Cheren suggested, "You should recall a Pokemon to its Poke Ball if it becomes weak or unconscious."

Thrin brightened and said, "Oh, yeah, right!" She dug out Oliver's Poke Ball while holding the Pokedex in her other hand and holding the Fire Pig Pokemon in the crook of her arm. "Oliver, return!" she said, and a beam of red light struck the Tepig, causing him to dissolve and be sucked into the capsule.

Professor Juniper took Cheren's, Bianca's, and Thrin's Pokeballs. "No need to worry," she laughed when they reacted with shock. "I'm just taking your Pokemon inside to be healed." Thrin looked extremely reluctant to have her new friend taken from her, even temporarily, but held herself back.

The Professor walking inside, then appeared again mere minutes later, holding the three Pokeballs in her hands. "All three of these little ones are ready and raring to go!" she announced jovially, and returned them.

"And on that note," Cheren said, implying something. Volan nodded, unable to keep a smile from creasing his face.

"Wait!" called a voice, and an aide in a white lab coat came rushing out with a medium-sized suitcase. "Professor, you requested this?" he added, handing it to Professor Juniper. "Thank you, Fred," she said, and the aide left.

She opened the suitcase, and twenty shining, new Poke Balls sat there. "These are for you guys!" she said, gesturing for them to approach. "You can carry up to six Pokemon with you at a time, and these Poke Balls will allow you to catch them. You can buy these at any Pokemon Center. If you catch a Pokemon and cause your party to exceed the limit of six, you will be unable to use it until you get rid of one Pokemon in your party. All you have to do is call me at any Pokemon Center and deliver the Pokemon to me, and I'll take care of it until you wish otherwise!"

After that explanation, the four Trainers nodded, each making mental notes in their heads.

"And on that note…" Cheren began again, but Bianca cut him off. "Let's get right to it! We're leaving on our journeys to be awesome Pokemon Trainers!" she enthused, and then ran off, followed closely by the other boy.

Volan and Thrin turned to say goodbye to their mother. "You two be good children, now," Emily said, tears welling in her eyes. "Take care of each other, and remember to call every now and then."

Thrin nodded, looking almost as upset to be leaving their mother for the first time in years. Volan, indeed, was a little sad as well. But – they were leaving one thing behind and replacing it with a whole new world to walk around in. From now on, they were truly their own masters.

"Bye, Mom," he said, hugging her goodbye. "Pidoooove," Bernice trilled, hopping onto Emily's shoulder to nuzzle her in farewell. The bird Pokemon's kind gesture made the woman smile and scratch Bernice's neck feathers gratefully.

"I can't wait to see you come home to me again," Emily said with both happiness and sadness, hugging the siblings one last time. "Have fun, and stay safe."

Volan and Thrin nodded as one. "We will," they said in unison.

Each taking deep breaths, Volan and Thrin turned around, away from the lab. They started to walk, tentatively at first, but growing bolder with each step. _I can't believe this is happening to me,_ Thrin thought, not sure of what to feel. Volan was thinking something along those lines as well. _Can we really manage this on our own?_ he wondered.

Shaking his head, he reminded himself, _I'm sixteen, and Thrin's only a little younger. We have Bernice and Oliver with us. Of course we can manage this._

Bernice was calm, although she sensed the pent-up enthusiasm emanating from Oliver's Pokeball. In her head were thoughts of adventure, friendship, and most of all, redemption. _I have to redeem myself for when I let Master Volan down,_ she thought. The Pidove wanted her master to forgive her for that day, and she would make him forgive her by battling for him and winning every single battle.

The two siblings had walked quite a far distance, with the lab about to disappear on the horizon, when they simultaneously looked back over their shoulders. They could still make out the figure of their mother standing there, watching them go.

Wordlessly, Volan and Thrin turned around fully and waved a final farewell. They saw the small figure in the distance raise a hand and return their farewell. A few seconds passed as the exchange of gestures drew on.

"Come on, sister," Volan finally murmured. "We've dragged this goodbye on long enough. It's time for us to go." Thrin didn't look at him at first, then finally dropped her hand with a sigh and turned away from the lab.

They were upset to leave their mother behind, but sometimes leaving things behind was necessary to move forward. Both knew this, but both were reluctant to accept that simple truth.

The walk through Nuvema Town, for indeed they had reached the main part of the settlement, was long and mostly silent. Volan realized that at last, he had the power to travel all over Unova and make his dreams come true. But what were those dreams? He wasn't sure. But Volan did know this – he wanted dearly to find a way to tell Bernice that she needn't worry about that fateful day four years ago, that the past was behind them.

That was a truth that he had known ever since that day. It was a powerful truth.

Just then, in the middle of the street, Volan stopped dead. It was as if all the color had been sucked from the world in a split second. Indeed, everything around him appeared black and white.

"Volan?" Thrin asked uncertainly, waving a hand in front of his face. The boy noticed it, but was too shocked to move. Or was it that he simply _couldn't_ move? He was too stunned to even tell such a thing.

And then, Volan heard a voice. He knew that no one around him was speaking, for the voice was one he didn't recognize. The voice was feminine, but carried an unmistakable power with it.

The voice spoke to him – _What is your truth? Volan… what is that truth you seek?_ And then the voice was gone, and the color leached back into everything until he was seeing normally again.

Volan blinked, then reflexively moved, as it felt as if he had been standing still for ages. In front of him, Thrin sighed and relaxed. "Oh, thank goodness! I thought something was wrong with you! Are you feeling alright?"

"…Yes, I think I am…" her brother replied, still a little dazed from his experience. He shook himself as Bernice eyed him worriedly. He glanced at both of them and assured, "I swear I'm fine. Now we should be going, it's already almost afternoon and we have a lot of ground to cover before we make it to Route 1."

Thrin nodded, clearly relieved to see that nothing was afflicting her brother. _But what was that?_ she thought. Volan had just frozen up without warning, and when she looked into his eyes, he seemed hypnotized.

And then, a white shadow had abruptly danced across the blue of his irises.

For some very, very odd reason, Thrin was reminded of the monster from years ago, and how the world had been drained of color in that instant. _It was probably nothing – maybe a delayed effect of looking at Bernice's Hypnosis or something._

She chose not to dwell on the nagging feeling that something else was afoot.

But now, Volan was in even deeper thought than before. He couldn't stop thinking about that voice. _Who was that? And why would she ask me about my truth? The truth that I seek… what does that mean?_

Bernice wondered too. "Pidooooove? _Seriously, what happened there?_" she asked. Volan just smiled absentmindedly at her. "You hungry, girl? Here, I know you didn't get to eat a very big breakfast." He dug around in his pocket before taking out three pieces of Pokemon food.

"Pidooove… _I keep forgetting he can't understand…_" she cooed exasperatedly. But she accepted the food anyway.

-.-.-.-.-.

At last, when the sun was high in the sky, Volan and Thrin arrived at the edge of Nuvema Town, and the beginning of the grassy, slightly forested Route 1. "At last!" said Thrin, running the last few paces up to the sign that indicated the start of the route.

"This isn't going to be like walking through a town like we're used to," Volan cautioned her, when he had caught up. "It's a wild place, and Pokemon are everywhere. They could do anything from stealing our food to flat-out attacking us. We have to be on our guard."

His sister gave him a nod, when they suddenly heard a familiar call. "Volan~! Thrin~! Wait for us~!" They simultaneously turned back toward the town behind them and caught sight of Bianca running excitedly down the path, followed closely by Cheren.

"I hoped I'd find you here!" the girl squealed ecstatically. Volan went right back to his _icy-to-strangers_ attitude when he answered, "Nice to see you too, Bianca… but why were you hoping we'd be here?"

"Bianca thinks we should all take our first steps on Route 1 together," Cheren said, getting close enough to join the conversation. He rolled his eyes, as if he didn't completely understand either. "Bianca and I are going to be travelling together anyway, so I didn't have any objection letting you two accompany us."

"Sounds like a good idea," Thrin said with a shrug.

"We won't mind if you decide to come with us," agreed Volan, grudgingly. "We're all going in the same direction, and there's strength in numbers."

Cheren looked relieved. "At least you recognize the dangers wild Pokemon can present," he muttered – apparently, Bianca didn't, which was further explained when she reached out to give Bernice another cuddle.

"Pidoooooove! _Knock it off!_" she warbled, pecking her incessantly until she backed off. While Bianca whimpered in pain as she rubbed the bruises developing on her forehead, Cheren and Thrin both shook their heads.

"Bianca's always like that," Cheren explained. "I grew up with her, so I'm used to it at least. I don't know about you, though."

"I think she's alright," Volan shrugged – if he managed to get past his guarded demeanor, then he could see that Bianca wasn't bad. "Speak for yourself," Thrin disagreed, watching as Bianca fussed over her injuries some more.

Cheren said, "She's flighty, but she's determined and more than willing to help out. Like I said, I'm used to her worse qualities."

Volan agreed, "Just take the good with the bad. No one's perfect."

"Speaking of imperfection… you guys are too slow! Are we going or not?" Thrin suddenly demanded, tapping her cross-transceiver. Volan sighed and said sarcastically, "Whatever the lady wants."

When Bianca had calmed down, they all stood side by side on the edge of the pavement. "Ready?" the blonde girl asked, and they all nodded. "Let's go!" Volan gave the word, and the four friends took their first steps out of civilization and into the woods.

Their Pokemon journeys, no matter how different they would turn out to be, started now.

-.-.-.-.-.

**I admit, I got the idea of talking Pokemon from Coli Chibi. Like I said, he's/she's my chief inspiration for this, so another thank-you to you.**

**Anyway – we start right off with an action-packed battle, then a bit of sadness, supernatural mystery, and finally end with the start of the Unova journey! Fun-filled to be sure, although I think I'm going to have a pain making each and every chapter as long/short as this.**

**(I always try to set a standard of how long each chapter should be based on how long the first ones are.)**

**Bianca: "Review, guys! Pleeeeeaaaaase?!"**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**


	5. A Journey Through Route 1

_**Chapter 4 - A Journey Through Route 1**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**The four friends had a Double Battle, with Volan and Cheren coming out on top against Bianca and Thrin. After getting their Pokemon healed and each obtaining a Pokedex, the teenagers all set off on their Pokemon journeys. But strangely, Volan had a moment's hypnosis in which a mysterious female voice asked him about his truth. Not knowing what that meant, Volan continued onward with Thrin, meeting up with Cheren and Bianca once more, and ready to start his journey at last.**

-.-.-.-.-.

"Isn't this exciting?!" Bianca asked, unable to contain herself as the four of them walked through the woods of Route 1. They had left NuvemaTown far behind them, and the sounds of civilization had long been replaced by the rustling of leaves in the wind and the cries of unseen Pokemon all around them. To Volan, it was the most refreshing thing to possibly experience.

"Yes, you've asked us that five times already," sighed Cheren, the most accustomed to Bianca's enthusiasm. However, even he sounded fed up. The blonde's cheeriness was infectious, though, as Volan found himself in a very good mood.

They had been walking for about an hour, and according to the map, they weren't even halfway through Route 1 yet. Suddenly, Volan stopped and stretched, causing the others to look back to see what was the matter.

"It's already past noon," he replied to their stares, "and we've been walking for a while. Why don't we rest for a while and have lunch?"

He fully expected the others to reject the idea. Volan was an unusual boy by many peoples' standards – for instance, he wanted to stop and rest after an hour of their newfound freedom had passed. Whereas other Trainers would be trying to cram in as much sightseeing as possible during these first few days, Volan would be making an effort to journey at a more leisurely pace, pausing often to rest, eat, or simply enjoy the sounds of the forest.

But Volan's friends didn't meet his expectations. Instead, they all dropped their bags and stopped along with him.

"A good idea," Cheren nodded. "I am a little tired, I confess." Thrin and even Bianca agreed, although the latter was a little reluctant. A sudden noise from her stomach convinced her, though.

Individually, they all had enough food for a few days' worth of meals. They all sat down on the grass and took out a morsel or two. Bianca suggested putting all of their food together to make one big meal, and everyone whole-heartedly agreed, although Cheren found the idea a bit unorthodox.

All in all, they had two sandwiches and a small pile of fruit, as well as a large tin of Pokemon food for their respective Starters. Volan split the sandwiches between the four of them, and Cheren divided up the fruit for them. Soon, they all had an equal amount of lunch, and they made the most of their time by eating, talking, and laughing. They made sure to call out their Pokemon so they could enjoy their meals as well.

"So then, the Magikarp says…" Volan was in the middle of telling a joke to Cheren and Bianca – indeed getting used to them as friends – when a sudden rustle in the bushes nearby caught his attention.

"What was that?" asked Thrin, mildly spooked. The foliage rustled again.

"Probably just a wild Pokemon," Cheren said dismissively. He was about to go back to eating when there was another rustle, louder and closer this time. He sighed and put down his half-eaten apple. "It probably smells the food," he told the others. "If we keep quiet, maybe it will come out and we can see what we're up against."

"Up against?" Thrin whispered. "We're not going to fight it, are we?" Volan watched the bushes intently and gestured for her to stay quiet.

Finally, with a final shake, the bush directly in front of them separated as a small, tan-colored Pokemon forced its way through. It wagged its tail happily and smiled at the group in a friendly way.

"Awwwww, it's a Lillipup!" Bianca gushed as the little Pokemon yapped, "Pup, pup!" Its tongue hung partly out of its mouth as it looked around curiously and with great excitement.

Cheren pulled out his Pokedex and scanned it, prompting Volan to do the same. The device unfolded and, after a moment, displayed a large amount of information. It read, "**Lillipup, the Puppy Pokemon. It faces strong opponents with courage, but is intelligent enough to flee when at a disadvantage. Its long face fur acts as radar. This one is a young female and her ability is Vital Spirit. Her attacks are Tackle, Leer, Bite, and Fire Fang.**"

"Fire Fang?" Volan asked, eyebrows rising as he looked for further information. "That's a high-leveled move," he continued after a moment. "We might want to proceed with caution if any of us wants to" –

"I wanna catch it!" Bianca squealed. "She's so cute! Snivy could use a friend, and this one's perfect!" Said Pokemon looked up from her food and eyed the Lillipup with distaste.

"That answers that…" Volan muttered, putting away his Pokedex.

"Snivy, go and use your Tackle!" Bianca cried. "Sny!" the Grass Snake Pokemon cried, charging forward. Lillipup smartly dodged and then smacked into Snivy with a Tackle of her own.

On the sidelines, Bernice winced as she and the other Pokemon watched. "Pidooooove? _Should we help?_" she asked, and Oshawott shook his head. "Osha, osha, Oshawott. _No, I think Snivy should do it on her own._" Oliver thought about this for a minute before nodding his agreement.

Meanwhile, Bianca called for a Vine Whip attack, which hit Lillipup. She cringed from the blow, then stood up and leapt forward, biting onto Snivy's tail. "Sniiiiiiiiii-vy!" the Grass-type wailed as she ran back and forth, trying to shake the other off.

"Oh no! What should I do?" Bianca said desperately, starting to panic. Cheren facepalmed lightly before instructing Oshawott to splash Lillipup with a Water Gun. "Osha!" he said before spraying a blast of water.

The blast, while not very forceful, was cold enough to make Lillipup let go of Snivy's tail in shock. "There we go!" Bianca said with satisfaction, as if she had gotten Lillipup off herself. "Now Snivy dear, use your Iron Taaaaiiiil!" she cheered.

Volan's eyelids shot wide open as Snivy's tail suddenly gained a metallic, silvery sheen. With a cry of "Sniiiiiii-VY!" she whacked Lillipup right in the face. The Puppy Pokemon went sprawling at the sheer force of the blow.

"Pup! Pup!" she barked indignantly before lunging forward, mouth bursting with flames. "That's Fire Fang!" Volan yelled at the sight. "Bianca, get Snivy to dodge it or it's over!"

Bianca was shocked at the intensity of his voice, then managed to stammer, "Snivy, d-dodge it!" Luckily, her Pokemon's speed was able to ensure that Lillipup's fiery jaws bit down on nothing. The flames faded thusly, and the two combatants turned back to face each other again.

"Iron Tail, Snivy!" Snivy shot forward again and smashed her gleaming tail into Lillipup's side.

Bianca cheered, "We're on a roll! Use Vine Whip!"

"Snivy! Snivy!" she replied, lashing out twice. "Pup!" Lillipup yelped as the whips connected both times.

By now, both Pokemon were losing power. Lillipup was beaten and bruised, and Snivy was losing her stamina. Bianca ordered a Tackle, and Lillipup replied in kind. Both Pokemon ended up crashing into each other, panting hard as they separated.

Close together as they were, Lillipup saw the perfect opportunity to use its Fire Fang attack. She lunged, flames leaping from her mouth, right at the startled Snivy.

Desperately, Bianca called, "Vine Whip, Snivy, please!" With a tired grunt, Snivy lashed out with her vines again, this time picking up Lillipup and throwing her. The Normal-type smashed into a tree with a painful-sounding *crunch!*

"Now's your chance, Bianca!" Thrin encouraged. "Catch it!"

Bianca, who looked momentarily perplexed, brightened up and reached into her purse for a Poke Ball. Drawing it out, she held it up and called, "Now you're mine, Lillipup! Go Poke Ball!"

She tossed the capsule, which flew straight and true toward the fallen Lillipup. Without even struggling, she became sucked inside when it opened, turning into bright red energy. The Poke Ball, closed, landed, and began to shake. "Come on… come on…!" Bianca pleaded, wringing her hands.

After what seemed like forever, the Poke Ball finally stilled, letting out a small burst of sparks to signify its new occupant. "Yeeeaaaaah!" Bianca cried shrilly, punching the air. "I caught myself a darling Lillipup!" Her friends clapped politely as she ran over to the former battlefield and retrieved her Poke Ball.

Snivy stumbled back over to her bowl of food and flopped down beside it. "Sny-Snivy… _I need a rest…_" she grumbled. Oshawott patted her on the back and sat down beside her, happily flinging bits of Pokemon food into his mouth.

Bianca pranced back over to the group. "Your first catch!" Thrin exclaimed. "Exciting, isn't it? Oh, I'm so jealous right now!"

The blonde girl grinned as she sat back down in her original seat and took a huge bite from her sandwich. When she swallowed, she said sheepishly, "That was more exhausting than I thought it would be! I'm half starved~!"

After she polished off her sandwich, Cheren pointed out, "You should let your Lillipup come out and eat too. It's your Pokemon, after all." Bianca's eyes lit up and she replied, "Good idea! Then she can make friends with the other Pokemon!"

The girl tossed Lillipup's Poke Ball into the air, and the Normal-type emerged with a flash of light. "Pup! Pup!" she barked, looking happy as ever. Bianca gushed over her as she wagged her tail and laid back her ears cutely.

"Hiiiiiiii!" Bianca cooed, scratching her behind the ears. "Why don't you get something to eat and say hi to the other Pokemon?"

Volan and the others watched the scene with amusement as Lillipup cautiously padded over to the other Pokemon crowded around the bowls of food.

"Pup! _Hi there!_" Lillipup barked. Oshawott smiled kindly and replied, "Osha, Osha! _Pleased to meet you!_"

Oliver, who was napping after pigging out on his food, opened his eyes sleepily. He snorted, "Tepig. _Charmed._" Snivy didn't move, as she was too tired, but Bernice welcomed the Puppy Pokemon warmly. Soon they were all eating and getting along well.

Volan allowed them a few minutes to finish, and when the food was all gone, he put away the bowls. "OK, guys, why don't we hit the road again?" he suggested. Thrin nodded and agreed, "Yeah, I want to get to Accumula Town before sunset."

Cheren checked the map and said after a few seconds, "Well, there's still a few miles to go before we get there. If we start now, then we should be able to get there just before nightfall."

It was rapidly settled. The four Trainers packed up their lunch, including the garbage – littering was forbidden in wild Pokemon habitats – and then recalled their Pokemon into their Poke Balls. Bernice, as usual, was the exception, as she flew over to perch on Volan's shoulder again. In moments, they had finished cleaning up and were ready to continue their journey once more.

-.-.-.-.-.

The group of four finally took their first steps into Accumula Town just as the sun started to sink near the horizon. The friends were tired, and more than willing to get some rest. As usual, Cheren had the answer when Thrin asked where they would sleep for the night – "Pokemon Centers always have rooms for traveling Trainers to spend a night or two. It's all entirely free, which is a big help for certain."

Finding the Pokemon Center wasn't all that hard. Accumula Town was only a little larger than Nuvema Town; and after all, how many buildings were there that had a bright red roof and a neon sign that read "Pokemon Center" in huge electric blue letters above the door?

They walked in to find a cool, air-conditioned atmosphere awaiting them. There were a couple of Trainers walking about, both of which were using the video-phones over to the far left of the door. The most calming thing, besides the quietness, was the light of the setting sun streaming through the windows, filling the room with a pleasant orange hue.

A lady in a pink nurse uniform came bustling over to meet them only a few seconds after they arrived. Volan presumed that this was one of the Unova Pokemon Centers' Nurse Joys, and the pudgy pink creature that waddled along behind her was an Audino.

"Hello, and welcome to the Pokemon Center!" Nurse Joy said cheerfully. "Thank you," Cheren said politely, stepping forward to make himself known. "Might we have a room for the night?"

Nurse Joy beamed at him. "Of course! You'll find that everything here in the Pokemon Center is free for Trainers. Would you like us to give your Pokemon a quick check-up while you wait for your room keys to be delivered?"

It was Thrin who nodded and replied, "Yes please." At her response, Audino instantly ran off and returned with a tray. "Audi, Audino," it said, gesturing to the tray.

Understanding what they had to do, they all put their four Poke Balls total in the slots on the tray, and Bernice fluttered off Volan's shoulder to land beside the tray. The Audino walked off to another room, wheeling the tray before it and humming a cheerful tune.

The four friends decided to wait on the comfortable sofas placed beside the large windows for their Pokemon and room keys. As they stretched out tiredly and relaxed, a movement outside caught Volan's eye. He looked out the window and squinted against the fading sunlight.

Outside, in what looked like the central park or plaza, were a bunch of people in strange, amoebic uniforms bustling about, hoisting large banners on top of the flagpoles they were setting up. Volan stared at them quizzically as they rushed about with their work like Durant in an anthill. _Who are they? And what are they doing?_

Suddenly, he was jolted from his thoughts by a tap on the shoulder. It was Thrin, who pointed toward the door that the Audino had left through. Sure enough, both Audino and Nurse Joy were coming back, along with their Pokemon.

"Pup! Pup!" Lillipup yelped, leaping into Bianca's arms. Oshawott did the same with Cheren, much to his embarrassment. Bernice flew off of the tray and back to her usual perch on her master's shoulder.

"All of your Pokemon are doing fine," Nurse Joy informed them. "Even for new Trainers such as yourselves, you're doing excellently in raising them."

Volan ducked his head modestly, as did Thrin. The nurse each handed them a key, presumably for their rooms – which meant they were all sleeping in separate rooms, which was fine with Volan. Sharing a room with the overly excitable Bianca, for instance, was something he did not look forward to doing.

Cheren yawned and stood up. "I'm going to get to sleep early tonight. Goodnight, everyone." He waved, then walked off toward the door on the opposite end of the lobby. Thrin yawned even deeper and louder before bidding Volan goodnight and following him.

Volan got up and walked off in a different direction, toward the video-phones. "You're not going to bed yet?" Bianca inquired. He shook his head and said, "I will soon. I just want to call my mom before I hit the hay."

The girl nodded and rushed off with Lillipup at her heels. Volan grinned to himself and reached the last video-phone in the row of seven. He quickly slotted in 5 P, then dialed Professor Juniper's number, remembering how his mother would be staying there for a week or two before heading back to Lacunosa.

If he expected the Professor to answer, he got a shock when Emily herself appeared on the screen. Her face grew bright when she realized who it was. "Volan!" she exclaimed. "How are you? How's your journey going so far?" Before he answered, he caught sight of Professor Juniper frantically chasing after a Minccino in the background.

"It's going great," he said with a smile. "The four of us are all together – for now at least. Thrin and I are going to stick together like glue the entire time, but I don't know if Cheren and Bianca will stay for that long."

Emily smiled and replied, "Of course, they have their own dreams to pursue! Anyway, did anything special happen today?"

Volan chuckled and shook his head at her hopeful tone. "No," he replied, "unless you count Bianca catching a Lillipup as special. It was fun to watch, though. I'm hoping to catch a friend for Bernice soon."

At the mention of her name, Bernice flew down onto the small desk in front of the screen, in clear view at the other end. "Pi-Pidooooove!" she cooed happily. Emily chuckled and said back, "Hello to you too, Bernice."

There was a brief pause, and then Volan said, "I just wanted to let you know that I'm doing just fine."

His mother nodded and responded, "I can see that" – but before she could continue, Professor Juniper came running across the screen again, shouting, "Put that down, Minccino! My diary is clean enough, thank you!"

Volan audibly laughed. "I'm going to go now. I need to be rested if I want to wake up early tomorrow."

Emily nodded. "Of course, Volan. Love you, dear!" And then the screen winked out.

Volan sighed and gathered Bernice, who was looking visibly tired from the events of today. "What do you say we get some rest?" Volan asked, and she nodded and cooed sleepily.

The duo walked off through the door the others had gone through, with Volan glancing at the key to learn the room number. Finding the correct door, he slotted in the key and opened it, already willing to forget the events of today.

_Not bad for the first day as a Trainer,_ Volan thought, before shutting and locking the door behind him.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Seriously, Team Plasma's uniforms make them look like some weird microorganisms. That's probably just me, though. Hey, maybe that's why they're called Team Plasma! You know, cytoplasm?**

**…Yeah, I'll stop talking now. But does anyone agree with me at least?**

**…Stop talking? OK, I'll do that, readers.**

**Cheren: *adjusts glasses* "Review, please. Thank you in advance."**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**


	6. Enter - Team Plasma and N!

_**Chapter 5 - Enter - Team Plasma and N!**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Starting their Pokemon journey through Unova on Route 1, the group looks on with excitement as Bianca successfully catches a Lillipup after a heated battle (literally). Meanwhile, Volan seems to be rapidly warming up to Cheren and Bianca. After lunch, they continue on to Accumula Town, where they book beds for the night. But Volan sees peculiar people setting something up outside as he waits…**

-.-.-.-.-.

_Volan stood alone in a vast room on a ceramic-tiled bridge. On either side of him, a deep pool of water existed. The room itself was extremely ornate, as if it belonged in a palace._

_A mysterious, cloaked figure caught Volan's attention. Standing on the other side of the bridge, it was shadowed by an ominous, dark Pokemon. The black dragon snarled quietly at him, and he instinctively took a step back. Instead of Bernice at his side, there was a fierce-looking Unfezant._

_The cloaked figure raised a hand to the sky and said in a dark, emotionless voice, "Demonstrate your power, and let this boy know his efforts are futile!"_

_Volan, while disturbed at the words and the tone in which they were spoken, was also vaguely stirred by the familiarity of that voice. Where had he heard it before?_

_But just then, the black dragon released a massive wave of power. The shockwave swept throughout the room, the sheer energy causing the water to evaporate into steam and Volan's body to tingle with static electricity. The Unfezant's feathers ruffled uncomfortably. The shockwave produced a huge gust of wind as it passed, forcing Volan to hang on against its power._

_Storm clouds built up and unleashed a downpour – indoors. Lashed by the wind and rain, Volan squinted against the elements to face the black dragon, which let out a mighty "GROOOOOAAAAAHHH!" The sound's sheer intensity caused Volan's spine to vibrate._

_But just then, a beam of light shone down at an angle onto Volan. He looked up and behind, and saw the sun – indoors – blazing through a gap in the clouds and showering Volan with light. It reflected off the raindrops, making him feel as if he were standing in a rainbow._

_"PREEEEAAAAHH!" came the melodious screech, and Volan watched with awe written on his face as a great white dragon descended toward him, shining with light and hope…_

-.-.-.-.-.

It didn't seem to Volan that he had been sleeping very long when suddenly the curtains were thrown open, letting the light of the rising sun to stream into the otherwise dark room. Volan shouted with surprise and bolted awake.

"Wake up, sleepyhead~!" Bianca's voice sang. Volan squinted against the unbearable brightness and groped for his glasses. "Wha… what… what are you doing in my room?" he yawned, putting the glasses on his face and rubbing his eyes to clear the grit from them.

Bianca was standing over his bed with a fresh set of clothes in her hands. "It's morning, silly!" she said with a giggle. "Time to get up, time to get up~!"

Volan got up out of bed slowly, wearing his fuzzy pajama pants and a plain white T-shirt. "I locked my door," he muttered to himself, "and my room still isn't Bianca-proof? Man…"

He yawned again and glared sleepily at Bianca, watching him expectantly. "What?" he demanded, clearly in a sleep-deprived bad mood. "I'm not getting dressed with you in here. Get out!"

It was probably his imagination and his weary eyes playing tricks on him, but Bianca seemed disappointed. "Fine then, just hurry up! Cheren and Thrin are already up and about!" She ran out of the room, humming to herself.

Sighing, Volan closed the door and rapidly got dressed. Not bothering to zip his hoodie up – he never did – he dug around his bag and fished out a half-empty tin of Bernice's Pokemon food. He put it right underneath her perch, and the Pidove woke up almost instantly by reflex.

"Pi-Pidoooove?" she asked, already wide-awake. Volan snorted – he wasn't a morning person – and said gruffly, "Finish that, and pronto. We need to get moving. Pokemon journey, remember?" Bernice nodded and gobbled up the remnants of the tin in just over a minute.

Volan put the tin in the trash can and gathered up his things. He held out his arm, and Bernice fluttered up to perch there like a tame Staraptor. He took one last look around the room, making sure he hadn't left anything behind, and walked out the door.

Thrin, Cheren, and Bianca were waiting for him in the lobby. "The Snorlax's finally awake," Thrin said snidely, and Volan pulled a rude face at her.

"Breakfast?" asked Bianca, holding out a bagel. He snatched it and tore off a small morsel for Bernice, who accepted it gratefully.

"We going?" Cheren asked in his usual calm tone. Bianca answered gleefully, "Actually, I was going to check the Poke Mart for Pokemon food. I've got two mouths to feed now!"

Cheren sighed, "Fine. We'll wait for you outside then." Bianca nodded and rushed off, and Volan and Thrin followed Cheren.

Almost the second they stepped out the doors, they noticed something was wrong. There wasn't anyone in the streets, or even moving about in the windows of the various buildings. It was dead silent. "What the Arceus happened?" Thrin asked, bewildered and a little spooked.

Just then, Volan noticed something over by the central plaza. There was a huge crowd gathered, and he could see with a jolt that there were two large black flagpoles with strange banners flying from them. "Something's going on over there," he stated, pointing to the crowd.

"We should really see what this is all about," Cheren agreed, and Thrin nodded.

They made their way over, squeezing through the gathering of people and somehow finding their way to the front. What they saw piqued their curiosity – and their suspicion.

Of the three, only Volan recognized the group of people standing in a perfect row just behind the flagpoles. They were the same ones he had noticed yesterday evening, wearing strange amoebic uniforms and standing perfectly still. They all had orange-dyed hair poking out from underneath their hoods, and all had the same symbol on their uniforms – an electric-blue 'P', underneath which was a similarly colored 'Z'.

Just as Volan was about to express the obvious question hanging over everyone's heads, two of the group advanced, then parted. Through the space they had cleared, a man in a patterned cloak stepped through. There was something about the man that disturbed Volan deeply – he didn't know if it was the green hair or the gleaming red eye patch, but he could tell that this man wasn't to be trusted.

For a brief instant, the world became black and white once more, and the voice returned.

_This man… Ghetsis is his name… he goes against truth,_ it said mysteriously, and then was gone. Color returned to the world, and Volan had to physically shake off the experience before listening to what this Ghetsis had to say.

"Greetings, people of the humble town of Accumula!" the man said with a warm smile and wave. "My name is Ghetsis, and I come representing Team Plasma." He swept his arm at the uniformed men and women behind him.

_So this is Team Plasma, he says…_ Volan thought. "Can't say I like their fashion sense," Thrin whispered snidely, and Volan forced a chuckle.

"Today," Ghetsis was saying, "I would like to talk to you folks about a manner of utmost urgency. I would like to talk about the liberation of Pokemon."

Volan's eyes blinked wide. Of the possible subjects of discussion he had been expecting, this hadn't been one of them.

Ghetsis continued, pacing from side to side, "I'm sure that most of you believe that we humans and Pokemon are partners that have come to live together because we want and need each other. However, is this really the truth? Have you ever considered that perhaps… we humans only assume this is the truth?"

_He speaks a lot about the truth,_ Volan thought, _but I can sense that his words can't be conveying such. _The voice had said Ghetsis went against truth, and for some reason, Volan decided to place trust in it. Beside him, Thrin and Cheren looked grim.

"Pokemon are subject to the selfish commands of Trainers," Ghetsis went on, "They get pushed around as our partners at work. Can anyone say with confidence that there is no truth in what I'm saying?" His voice became urgent, as if he truly cared about this seemingly troubling matter.

No one spoke, although Volan felt the urge to. _This can't be right,_ he thought. _Pokemon and humans are indeed partners. Sure, a few humans mistreat Pokemon – but the number of people who willingly make friends with them far outweigh that number._ Volan could tell that Cheren had come to a similar conclusion, but that Thrin had reached it as well was uncertain.

Bernice was warbling quietly to herself. The crowd was muttering lowly as the people asked themselves and their neighbors the same questions. Ghetsis' words seemed to be causing them to rethink their lives, possibly even history itself.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," Ghetsis continued calmly, devoid of its earlier emotion, "Pokemon are different from humans. They are living beings that contain unknown potential, and are things that we humans have much to learn from. Tell me, ladies and gentlemen, what is our responsibility toward these wonderful beings called Pokemon?"

The crowd began muttering again. Volan and Cheren stayed silent, but Thrin hesitantly offered an answer. "…Liberation?"

"Yes! Yes, indeed, young lady!" Ghetsis exclaimed, smiling at her. She didn't smile back. "We must liberate the Pokemon! Then, and only then, will humans and Pokemon be considered equals."

Ghetsis retreated a couple of steps and cleared his throat, appearing to reach a conclusion. "Everyone," he finished, "I end my words here today by imploring you to consider the relationship between people and Pokemon… and the correct way to proceed. …We sincerely appreciate your attention."

His words, while meant to be full of concern and worry about this matter, seemed ominous to Volan. Was it because that he had a voice in his head that told him otherwise? _I need a rest,_ Volan thought tiredly, getting a slight headache from these troubling thoughts.

Four Team Plasma members gathered up the two flagpoles and balanced them on their shoulders. The ten men and women surrounded Ghetsis in a protective circle, and then marched off toward Route 2.

"Liberate… Pokemon?" Thrin asked as if in a daze. "That isn't even possible!"

Cheren looked unusually emotional, indeed almost shaken. "That speech was… powerful," he murmured. "Could Ghetsis be telling the truth? What should we do about all of this?"

"No, he can't be truthful," Volan said emphatically, but all the same, there was that tiny nagging doubt at the center of his heart. "Can't he?" His sister and friend both looked at him worriedly. All three of them were starting to question something they had never questioned before – the friendship of humans and Pokemon that had been constant for centuries, even millennia.

Thrin silently pulled out Oliver's Pokeball and released him. "Tepig!" he said happily when he appeared. Cheren saw where she was going and released his Oshawott as well. "Osha!" the otter Pokemon said, hugging his leg.

Volan, Thrin, and Cheren all sat down in the grass, facing their Pokemon. The trio – Oliver, Bernice, and Oshawott – all witnessed their Trainers' serious faces, and the smiles faded. _What's going on?_ they seemed to be asking.

Taking a deep breath, Volan asked, "Is it true you'd be happier on your own? Would you rather go back to the wild and live freely instead of following us around?"

Oliver shook his head emphatically. "Tep, Tepig! Tepig-Tepig-Tepig! _No way! I want to stay with Mistress Thrin!_"

"Osha osha!" exclaimed Oshawott. "_Absolutely not! Cheren's my friend!_"

"Pi-Pidoooooove? _You're joking, right?_" Bernice trilled, giving her master an _are-you-freaking-serious_ look.

Volan laughed with relief. "I know, I know, it's a ridiculous question. But that speech made us worry."

Bernice, Oliver, and Oshawott all hugged or nuzzled their human partners. "Pidooove, Pidoooove," said Bernice. "_We don't want to leave you. We want to stay with you._"

Interrupting the happy moment was a shadow that fell across Volan. He looked up and saw a tall boy standing over him. He stood up to find that the boy was slightly taller than him, with pea-green hair, a baseball cap, and a Rubik's Cube dangling from a chain attached to his belt. Thrin and Cheren stood up to better observe the newcomer as well.

But the boy wasn't paying attention to them. Instead, he was eyeing their Pokemon with bewilderment and intense curiosity. "Just now…" he murmured, staring at Bernice. "Your Pidove… was it honestly saying…? How very curious… unexpected too…"

Volan glared at the boy, becoming icy and guarded again in an instant, while Cheren viewed him with suspicion and Thrin with interest. "Speak up," Cheren said sharply, "you talk too quietly. And what's this about talking Pokemon? That's an odd thing to say."

The green-haired boy shot Cheren a hostile glare, but his soft voice never changed. "Yes, they're talking," he said simply, as if stating a well-known fact. Then his brow cleared up as a realization hit him. "Oh… Then you three can't hear it either… How sad."

"Who are you?" Thrin asked, as Oliver stood by her heels. The boy bent down to scratch him behind the ears, and he squealed with delight. "Tepig! _Hey, I like this boy!_"

Said boy smiled at Oliver's reaction, appearing to… understand him? _That's very strange,_ Volan thought.

"My name is N," the boy said, standing back up to look at Thrin. The girl just then felt something intensely strange, deep in her heart. The unknown feeling filled her with unease, and she stepped away from the boy. "I'm Thrin," she replied cautiously. "These are Cheren and Volan. We're taking our Pokemon journeys together."

"Professor Juniper asked us to record Pokemon data in the Pokedex," Cheren piped up from the sidelines. "My main goal, however, is to become the Champion of the Unova region." Volan and Thrin both momentarily ignored N and glanced at their friend with surprise. He just shrugged.

"The Pokedex, hmm?" N asked with a hint of disgust. "So… you're going to confine many, many Pokemon in Poke Balls for that, then… And to become the Champion… you're also going to work them hard and relentlessly for that, too…"

Volan tilted his head. "You're a Trainer, too, right?" he asked uncertainly. "But what's wrong with such things? All Trainers use Poke Balls, and all Trainers train their Pokemon to become stronger. So why are you so different?"

N stared at him for the longest time, although Volan saw his eyes flick back to Bernice as well. "I'm a Trainer, that is true…" he said. "But I can't help wondering… are Pokemon really happy that way?"

N suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out a Poke Ball. "Well, Volan, is it? Let me hear your Pidove's voice again!" He tossed the capsule, and out sprang a sleek, purple cat-like creature. "Purrrr," it said smoothly.

Volan instinctively pulled out his Pokedex. "**Purrloin, the Devious Pokemon. They steal from people for fun, but they act cute so their victims can't help but forgive them. Attacks with sharp claws when the victim sees through the ruse. This one is a young male, and his ability is Limber. His attacks are Scratch, Sand-Attack, and Growl.**"

"If it's a battle you want, then let's do this!" Volan cried. "Bernice, go!"

"Pidoooooove!" Bernice cooed, flying into battle determinedly, still confident from her victory yesterday.

"Purrloin, Sand-Attack!" N said, and the Dark-type swept its tail across the ground, filling the air with dust. "Now Scratch!"

"Purrrrrloin!" came his voice, and then he leapt out from the cloud, claws unsheathed. Bernice took the claw attack with a warble of pain. "Dooooove! _Volan, help!_"

Volan gritted his teeth. "Bernice, use your Quick Attack!" he commanded, and as the dust faded, the Pidove swept across the ground with white energy streaking behind her. Purrloin was too slow to avoid it, and took the blow straight to the flank. "Loin…" he seethed, hissing with pain.

"Bernice, follow up with another Quick Attack!" Volan called, unwilling to let this chance go to waste. But as Bernice streaked forward again, N was quick to react. "Purrloin, another Sand-Attack-Scratch combo!" he yelled.

"Purr!" Purrloin replied, kicking up another thick cloud of dust. Bernice charged right into it, then was flung out with several red cuts across her back.

"Bernice, you OK?" Volan called worriedly. The Pidove straightened out and hovered in her original position, responding with an affirmative trill. "Good, now use an Air Cutter!"

"Dooooove! _Will do!_" Bernice said, flapping her wings and sending two blades of air at Purrloin. Under N's command, he dodged the first, but was struck hard by the second. Purrloin hit the ground, dazed but not out of the fight yet.

"My friend!" N called desperately, and Purrloin got back up at the sound of his concern. "Use a Sand-Attack again! Hide yourself from further harm!"

When the sand cloud appeared again around the Devious Pokemon, Volan smirked. "Not going to help you this time! Bernice, blow it away with Gust!"

The resulting gale that blew from Bernice's madly flapping wings rapidly dispelled the dust, leaving Purrloin out in the open. "Finish with Quick Attack!" he ordered, and Bernice charged forward once more, wings spread wide.

Bernice's Quick Attack hit fast and hard. Purrloin was hit solidly, being thrown back several feet and skidding to a halt at N's side. "Purrrrr…" he said dazedly, clearly unable to continue. Volan had won his second battle in a row!

"You did great, Bernice!" the boy enthused as she came to rest back on his shoulder. Thrin clapped enthusiastically as Bernice replied with a modest warble. "Pidoooooove. _It was nothing, really._"

N retrieved Purrloin after muttering soothingly to him for a while. At last, he walked back up to Volan, seeming to focus on him again. "As long as Pokemon are confined in Pokeballs, they will never become perfect beings," he stated matter-of-factly, gaze never wavering. "I have to change the world for Pokemon, because they're my friends."

The mysterious boy walked off without saying another word, glancing at Thrin briefly before disappearing around a corner.

"Strange boy," Cheren remarked. "But I'm not going to worry about it for now. Trainers and Pokemon help each other out. Now listen, I'm going to wait for Bianca. You two can go ahead if you would like."

The siblings nodded simultaneously, already driving the thoughts of N temporarily from their minds. "Alright, I guess we'll see you in the next city," Thrin said, shaking his hand goodbye. Cheren smiled briefly, then walked back off toward the PokemonCenter.

"Shall we be off then?" Volan asked, and Thrin grinned. "You bet! According to the map, the next place we should aim for is Striaton City. There's a Pokemon Gym there, and you know what that means."

It was Volan's turn to grin as he thought of what lay ahead. In each Pokemon Gym, there was a Gym Leader, and if one beat a Gym Leader, they would earn a Badge. Eight Badges allowed one to access the Pokemon League – and the Unova region's Champion.

"Alright! Route 2, here we come!" Thrin cheered, and followed behind her brother as they headed across AccumulaTown for the next patch of forest that, in turn, led to the next patch of civilization.

But Thrin's thoughts became increasingly preoccupied as they wandered over to the strange boy that had called himself N. _Just who is this N? And what does he stand for?_ Thrin wondered.

For a fraction of a second, the world turned black and white, and the shadow of a black dragon stole into her eyes.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Yay, the main villains reveal themselves! I rather like Team Plasma, just because they're pretty smart in comparison to previous teams. Like Magma and Aqua for instance – what'll you drink if there isn't any water, and where will you live if there's no land?**

**"Maybe we could rapidly evolve into Water Pokemon."**

**"That's genius, Archie."**

**"Call me 'Sharkie'."**

**This might come as a shock to you, but I don't own the Ice Age franchise.**

**Review please, and thank you for reading!**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**


	7. Route 2 Trouble

_**Chapter 6 - Route 2 Trouble**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan woke up from a strange dream in which two dragons were involved. Waking up and going to join his friends, him, Thrin, and Cheren all witnessed a speech in the center of Accumula Town. Team Plasma and their leader Ghetsis were talking about Pokemon liberation, and left them in doubt. But after their Pokemon comforted them, a boy named N challenged Volan to a battle, disappearing soon after and leaving an impact on Thrin.**

-.-.-.-.-.

Route 2 was a peaceful place. It was significantly longer than Route 1, which obviously preceded it, and thus would probably take at best a full day's uneventful walking to cross. Many new Trainers did their training right here, where the wild Pokemon were tough enough for a challenge but also weak enough so that they didn't leave the Trainers' Pokemon with severe injuries.

In a hidden clearing in the middle of the dense forest, several members of Team Plasma stood before their leader. Each of them clutched a Poke Ball in their fists.

"We come before you, High King of Team Plasma," they droned in unison, "to tell you that we have successfully liberated these Pokemon from their cruel human masters."

The robed figure before them nodded. "Good," he said with a smile. "This is merely our first step toward freeing all the Unovan Pokemon from the oppression of humans. Now, what have each of you to report?"

One Plasma stepped forward, known as Toby. "My Lord, I found this Pokeball unattended by its Trainer. The Pokemon has not yet been released, as I wished to have your approval before doing so."

The King nodded. "Of course," he said. "Release it." With a bow, Toby opened the Poke Ball with a flash of blue light. A Patrat jumped out of it, racing away into the woods, free once more.

"You have done well, Toby," the King of Team Plasma said with a nod. "And what of you, Gwyneth?" he added to a female Plasma.

"This Pokemon's Trainer was stubborn and refused to part with it. I had no choice but to use force," she replied, emotion absent from her voice. The King frowned and said, "Although I do not wish it, sometimes force is indeed necessary. Please proceed with the release of the Pokemon."

Gwyneth bowed deeply and released the Cottonee the capsule had been holding. It floated up with the breeze until it vanished over the tops of the trees.

"Very good," the King said with approval. "Now what about you, Arthur?"

Another Plasma stepped forward and held out his Poke Ball. It was empty. "My Lord, this Poke Ball came from a Trainer that had seen our speech at Accumula Town. He was willing to part with it and released it on the spot."

Now the King grinned widely. "Excellent!" he said. "Our speeches are indeed having an effect. Now, everyone, I wish for you to rejoin Ghetsis and the others and head to another city. There are Pokemon to be liberated!"

The contingent of Team Plasma members bowed as one, and then left their King alone in the clearing.

"But what of those other two?" the King asked himself. "What of Volan and Thrin, whose Pokemon claimed to like them? That is impossible. No Pokemon could like a Trainer who imprisons them in Poke Balls and forces them to do battle with one another."

The Purrloin that was with him meowed faintly, before following him deeper into the forest.

-.-.-.-.-.

"Bernice, Air Cutter!" Volan cried.

"Oliver, Ember!" Thrin ordered.

Both attacks collided with a small explosion, canceling each other out. The two Pokemon were panting heavily, having battled each other to a stalemate.

"What do you say we call it quits?" Volan called across the field. Thrin wiped her brow before replying, "Yeah, I think we should." She walked forward and picked up Oliver, placing him in her arms tentatively.

The two of them had been traveling when they decided that they needed a break. So, they decided to pass the time by having a mock battle between Bernice and Oliver. The two were definitely getting stronger, having gotten some good experience during their previous battles.

The four of them – two humans and their respective Pokemon – sat down for a brief lunch. The plan was to continue through Route 2 until the sun went down, because they knew that they wouldn't reach Striaton City before that happened. Route 2 was pretty large.

When they did get there, Volan decided that he wanted to challenge the Pokemon Gym that was supposed to be there. Thrin, when offered the chance to do the same, replied that she wasn't really interested in battling Gym Leaders, and was perfectly fine with the occasional fight with another wandering Trainer.

However, despite their cheerful chatter, both of them were inwardly a little worried. As they traveled across Route 2, they had come across an increasing number of Trainers who had been affected by Team Plasma's speech at Accumula Town and had released their Pokemon thusly. Volan and Thrin had protested that Pokemon and Trainers were supposed to help each other, but had only managed to re-convince a few of them. Now, they were hiding their worry well, even from each other.

Their lunch passed very quickly, and Volan discovered that they only had a couple of sandwiches left in their bag. "Why don't we restock our food supplies at the Striaton Pokemon Center?" suggested Thrin. "We can have a good breakfast there as well, I hear."

Volan nodded. Pokemon Centers were indeed wondrous – they had everything from a Poke Mart to a hospital to a cafeteria, not to mention the video phones. At the same time, he felt that these facilities were necessary for traveling Trainers.

The brother and sister got up and gathered their things rapidly. With their bags slung over their shoulders once more, they began to walk back toward the path to Striaton City that they had previously abandoned in favor of the clearing. Bernice and Oliver were at their side.

It wasn't long before they found the path again, winding deeper into the forest. They were alone with only the beautiful wooded scenery to keep them company. But soon, as they admired the trees blowing in the breeze and rounded a bend in the path, they no longer found themselves alone.

Here, the path curved around a large boulder. On top of the boulder was a boy. The boy had a hairstyle that could be best described as a black flame, peaking to a point a ways above his head. He wore dark red clothes and had a quiet, serious expression on his face.

Curiously, Volan and Thrin approached him. "Um… are you all right?" Volan hazarded. Although he indeed never trusted strangers, his desire to help out outweighed his icy side.

The boy jumped at his words and looked up at them with shadowed eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he said, turning his gaze back down at his feet. "I'm just lost in thought. Now go away, I need to think."

Thrin raised an eyebrow toward her brother at the boy's rudeness. "Are you a Trainer?" she asked. Without raising his head, the boy nodded. "Used to be," he muttered.

"What do you mean, 'used to be'?" Thrin inquired, one hand on her hip. The boy sighed and seemed to wrestle with a decision in his head. Finally, he jumped off of his boulder and faced them eye-to-eye.

"My name is Hugh," he said, in a much stronger voice than previously. There seemed to be an undercurrent of permanent hostility in that voice. Hugh continued, "I used to be a Pokemon Trainer. Then I saw Team Plasma's speech in Accumula Town and decided that they were right, and humans and Pokemon should be separated. When a Plasma member came up to me about an hour ago, as I was travelling toward Striaton City, and asked me if I would be willing to hand over my Pokemon in the name of liberation, I just released them without a second thought."

Now Volan and Thrin were dead silent. Even though Hugh's voice was strong, they could see the hidden pain in his dark eyes. _He agreed with Team Plasma, _Volan realized, _but he has been regretting it ever since. He truly loved his Pokemon, and maybe they loved him back for showing such affection._

"I am Volan," he said, "and this is Thrin. We are both Pokemon Trainers, and we are strong enough to disagree with Ghetsis and his Plasmas." Hugh stared at them with curiosity, confusion, and – could it be? – a spark of hope.

"We also love our Pokemon," Thrin continued for Volan, "and we know that our Pokemon love us just as much. We are partners and would do anything for each other."

"Pidoooooove!" Bernice said proudly.

"Tep, Tepig!" Oliver agreed.

Although Hugh couldn't understand their words, somehow he got the message across. "I made a mistake," he said quietly, to himself. "I made a horrible mistake. My Pokemon are probably crushed and lonely!"

Hugh suddenly dashed off into the forest, yelling back, "I'll repay you guys for this! I promise!" And then the forest's shadow swallowed him up.

Thrin smiled with satisfaction. "I hope he finds his Pokemon," she said. "Still, it's good to know that he has faith in his relationship with them again."

Volan nodded with certainty and responded, "It's wrong of Team Plasma to be doing this. They might sincerely believe they're doing the right thing, but nothing good will come of it."

His sister nodded, then motioned forward. "Come on," she said. "We need to cover as much ground as possible if we want to reach Striaton City by tomorrow."

Volan started after her, then stopped and turned his head to face Bernice. "Hey, Bernice, could you fly ahead and see how much more distance we have to cross?" Bernice nodded and replied, "Pidooove! _Sure thing!_"

Then she flew up off of his shoulder and over the trees, soon disappearing from view.

-.-.-.-.-.

Bernice flew over the tops of the trees, following the path that showed itself now and then through a gap in the forest. In the distance, she could definitely see signs of a city, but she still didn't know how far her master and his sister would have to walk in order to reach it.

Suddenly, her sharp eyes picked out a flurry of motion on the forest floor. When she looked, what ever was moving had vanished into the trees again, only to reappear in the next gap. Curious, Bernice flew down to investigate.

Once below the trees, the source of the movement became obvious. It was a swarm of small Patrat, all squeaking at the top of their lungs and running as fast as their little legs could carry them. Bernice was confused and a little bit concerned for their well-being – if they were running from something, she needed to find out what it was in case it posed a potential threat to her master.

The Pidove swooped low, easily catching up to the panicked Patrat. Once she was level with them, she kept pace and ducked her head to address the leader. He barely looked up at her, he was so preoccupied.

"Hey, excuse me! What's going on?" Bernice asked urgently in Pokemon-speak, and this time the Patrat leader did look up at her.

"Run, run!" he replied. "Get out or it'll get you too!"

"Thanks, I'll do that!" Bernice trilled in response. "Good luck, and keep running!"

The lead Patrat called a thank-you to her as she rose into the air again, but not high enough to escape the sound of cracking shrubs and furious roaring that just began to emanate from behind the Patrat group.

Bernice cooed to herself, increasing her speed, "That sounds dangerous! I need to warn Master Volan!"

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan scanned the tops of the trees as he and Thrin continued on the path toward Striaton City. He was looking for a sign of Bernice returning from her brief scouting mission. "How long do you think she'll take?" Thrin wondered, holding a tired Oliver in her arms. "If she's been gone this long, that probably means that there's quite a long way to go…"

But suddenly, a call of "Pidoooove, Pidooove!" sounded out from the sky, and Volan looked up to see Bernice already diving toward him. He held out his arm to beckon her down, but she stopped midair and shook her head wildly. _Something must be wrong,_ he realized.

"Doooove, doooove!" the Pidove continued to call, clearly trying to say something. From the way she waved her wings and flapped in urgent circles, Volan could sense that she was trying to warn him. "What's the matter?" he called up to her. "What should we look out for?"

Before Bernice could answer (not like he'd understand anyway), there was a sudden scuffle, and a group of at least ten Patrat burst through the bushes in front of them. They were running in a panic, clearly trying to get away from something. _The same thing Bernice saw?_ Volan wondered.

"Volan, we should probably be wary," Thrin cautioned. "There might be something dangerous running around in these woods."

The Patrat passed by them quickly, churning up a surprisingly large cloud of dust with their footsteps. Just in front of them, another Patrat suddenly burst from the bushes. The straggler seemed to stumble at the change in terrain, then quickly picked up its pace.

And then, a huge, monstrous Pokemon lunged out of the brush behind it. It landed heavily on the ground just behind the Patrat, narrowly missing it. It let out a gurgling roar angrily as the Patrat got away.

Thrin squeaked and jumped back a foot. "What Pokemon is that?" she asked, fear stealing into her voice. Volan, for once, didn't have an answer. He could recognize almost any Pokemon on sight, thanks to the amount of reading he did on the subject, but this one was new.

_When in doubt, consult the Pokedex,_ he reasoned, pulling out the electronic encyclopedia and having it scan the ferocious new arrival. The information it conveyed didn't exactly comfort him, though; "**Garbodor, the Trash Heap Pokemon. It absorbs garbage and makes it part of its body. Although poisonous, they are very cleanly and help purify polluted areas. The specimen shown is a full-grown male, and goes by the name of Grunge. His ability is Weak Armor and his attacks are Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, and Solarbeam.**"

"_Solarbeam?_" squeaked Thrin. "It's kidding, right?"

Volan pocketed the Pokedex and grinned. Oddly, the vibe coming from the Garbodor wasn't all that bad – he actually _liked _the beast's ferocity. "I think… I'll catch it," he said, pulling out a spare Poke Ball.

"_You're_ kidding, right?" Thrin corrected herself, looking at him as if he had gone insane. "You'll get yourself killed!"

Volan ignored her and turned to Bernice. "What do you say? You want to battle it?" The Pidove nodded, now determined to best such a large creature in battle. Maybe she thought it would help her redeem herself, but for now, she kept her reasons to herself.

"Good, now use your Quick Attack to take her by surprise!" Volan ordered, and Bernice obligingly streaked toward her foe at blinding speed.

The Garbodor never saw her coming until she slammed into his side. "Odor?!" he bellowed, startled and hurt as he was thrown to the ground.

When he saw her opponent was nothing more than a small bird, though, the Garbodor became enraged. "Gar-BODOR!" he roared, leaping into the air with surprising strength. At the apex of his jump, he fell toward Bernice, feet-first, with a Body Slam attack.

"Dodge, Bernice!" Volan called, and giant's crushing weight was deftly avoided. "Now Air Cutter!"

"Pi-dooooove!" Bernice cooed, letting loose with a frenzy of wind blades. Several of them lashed the Garbodor, causing him to cringe back in pain. But the second they stopped, the big appendages on his head began to glow. When they were almost blinding to look at a few seconds later, he fired a huge Solarbeam from the cannon on his left arm.

Thrin screamed as the white-hot beam narrowly missed her. "Oliver, help Bernice and use Tackle!"

The Fire Pig Pokemon, which had been hiding behind her in fear, suddenly leapt out and charged at the Trash Heap. "Tepiiiiiig!" Oliver cried, charging forward with all his might.

But the Garbodor, still dealing with the Solarbeam's recoil, lashed out with his other arm, bowling Oliver over and sending him flying into Thrin. The girl sat up painfully, only to find that Oliver had been instantly knocked out.

_Wow, that Garbodor's powerful! _Thrin thought as she hastily recalled her poor Pokemon into his Poke Ball. _I hope Volan knows what he's doing, or Bernice will get her tail feathers kicked!_

But Volan had more experience than her, having owned Bernice for years and engaging in unofficial battles all the time in his younger days. Thinking of that, though, made that image pop into his mind again – the Sandile crunching down on Bernice and flinging her away like nothing.

Volan gulped and barely made it out of his thoughts in time to see the Pidove swatted out of the air with Garbodor's Pound attack. _No, not now! Bernice needs me! _"Bernice, hit it with a Quick Attack!" he called, trying to get things back in his favor.

Bernice somehow sensed her master's thoughts turning back to that horrible day, and shook off the pain of the Poison-type's Pound. "PIDOOOOOVE!" she shrieked, diving down from the sky and blasting into the Garbodor's side. The garbage-like Pokemon was sent reeling from the blow, collapsing on his side.

"Garbodor!" he roared, and then crouched. "ODOOOOOOR!" He leapt into the air with another devastating Body Slam, which connected with Bernice this time and badly injured her. Now her wings were next to useless as she was crushed into the ground hard.

"Piiiiii… doooooove…" Bernice panted, boldly staring at the Garbodor, eye-to-eye. Volan gritted his teeth, as he knew that the Poison-type was too powerful for the Pidove's attacks. He'd need to play his trump card soon, and hope that it worked.

But then the Garbodor's right arm began to hiss poison from its "fingers". It was his Poison Gas attack! As he stared Bernice down, the gas seemed to start subduing the poor bird. This would be Volan's last chance.

"Hypnosis!" he cried. Bernice struggled to resist the poison, and released her three blue orbs from her body. Fascinated by the orbs as it was, the Garbodor failed to spray more Poison Gas into the air as he stared at them, eyes wide. The orbs began to spin erratically, and his eyes grew wider as he observed the rapidly changing pattern.

The orbs retreated back into Bernice's body. The Garbodor was drowsy, but still half-awake. Volan needed to knock out Garbodor fully in order to ensure capture. "Bernice, give it one last Quick Attack!"

"Pidooooooove!" she called, speeding right toward the Trash Heap's midsection. She connected solidly, throwing the lethargic Poison-type right into a tree. There was a huge snapping sound, and the tree collapsed. The Garbodor did as well, with a tremendous crash. "Odor…" he muttered dazedly.

Volan dug into his pocket and pulled out a spare Poke Ball. With all his might, he hurled it at the unconscious titan. It struck the Garbodor, bounced briefly off, and opened. The Poison-type was sucked inside in less than a second, and the Poke Ball bounced to the ground, struggling to maintain its hold on its new occupant. Thrin fidgeted on the sidelines, the suspense getting to her. Volan crossed his fingers, then stopped because he didn't believe in that superstition.

The Poke Ball trembled for a few seconds more, and then finally stilled. It sparkled suddenly, signifying that the Garbodor had been successfully caught.

Joy and relief mixed within Volan as he walked over and picked up the Poke Ball. He was only a beginner Trainer, and yet he had managed to capture a Pokemon that even an experienced one would have difficulty with. This was surely a sign that he was destined to be a skilled Trainer one day.

"Wow!" Thrin enthused, skipping over to examine the Poke Ball in his hands. "I have never seen anything so impressive! You sure showed that pile of garbage!" Volan blushed and averted his attention back to the Poke Ball.

"The Pokedex said that this Pokemon has a nickname already," he mused aloud. "It said that he was named Grunge. Does that mean he had a Trainer before me?"

His sister nodded wisely and replied, "Probably. His old Trainer probably released him. Although, why someone would release something as powerful as this Pokemon is beyond me."

Volan silently agreed with her. Who indeed would throw away such a potentially useful and mighty Pokemon as Grunge? For some reason, Team Plasma came to mind, with their talk of "Pokemon liberation". Volan grew uneasy.

_I'm sure Team Plasma has something to do with Grunge's past,_ he thought. _I need to keep that in mind when introducing myself to him – I want to give him the impression that I am not one to abandon him so quickly. _A steely look sprang into his eyes as he thought this, accompanied by a barely noticeable white shadow.

-.-.-.-.-.

**This chapter had some of my added content in it. The next chapter will as well.**

**But more about that later. Volan has a new team member – Grunge the Garbodor! But where does he come from, and will Thrin catch a new Pokemon too?**

**Why Garbodor? I don't really know. Perhaps it's because I feel sorry for the poor Trash Heap because no-one really seems to particularly like it. But it's one of my favorite Poison-types, for the record.**

**If you want, you can request a possible Pokemon for Thrin and I'll run it by my little sister – she's the one that came up with Thrin herself!**

**Review and see you soon!**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**


	8. Grunge Faces Down a Plasma

_**Chapter 7 - Grunge Faces Down a Plasma**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**The King of Team Plasma met up with a few of his grunts in the forest of Route 2, asking for a report on their attempts in liberating Pokemon. Two Pokemon were released, and one was reported to have been willingly given up. Meanwhile, Volan and Thrin were doing some training before they met Hugh, a Trainer swayed by Team Plasma. The siblings convinced him that the Plasmas were wrong, and he thusly dashed off to look for his Pokemon. Soon though, a Garbodor named Grunge attacked, and after a battle, Volan caught him in a Poke Ball!**

-.-.-.-.-.

"Grunge, I choose you!" Volan cried, tossing the Poke Ball into the air. A bright flash of blue light ensued as the capsule opened, and his newly-caught Garbodor appeared instantly.

The massive Trash Heap Pokemon looked around confusedly at its surroundings. "Bodor? _What happened?_" he said dazedly. The feeling of being inside a Poke Ball was one he had never expected to experience again.

Volan stepped forth, with Bernice on his shoulder. Thrin stayed back a little bit, acting more cautious than her brother. Grunge took note of these new humans, wondering who they could possibly be.

"Hello, Garbodor," Volan said, extending a friendly hand in greeting. "I understand that your name is Grunge, am I right?"

At this, the Poison-type suddenly paid more attention to his new Trainer. "Garbo!" he exclaimed, nodding furiously. His filthy skin made a rustling sound as he did so.

"I thought so," Volan answered. "It's kind of odd for a wild Pokemon to have a nickname. Unless you had a Trainer before who released you? Is that what happened to you, Grunge?"

The Garbodor thought back and instinctively shuddered at the painful memory. This new boy had an unnerving talent for hitting the proverbial nail on the head. "Odor, Garbodor…" Grunge murmured, hanging his head. He sighed, allowing a burst of noxious gas to exhale from his mouth.

Making a face at the smell, Volan did his best to ignore it and continue. "It's alright," he soothed. "That Trainer made the wrong decision in abandoning you." Unconsciously, Grunge nodded sadly in agreement.

"But you don't have to worry about being abandoned anymore!" Volan said with a grin, spreading his arms invitingly. "I'm your new Trainer! My name's Volan, and this here is Bernice." He pointed to the Pidove on his shoulder, who raised a wing in greeting. "Pidoooove!" she cooed friendly-like.

_Hang on just a minute!_ Grunge took a step back and glared at Volan. Just because this boy caught him in a Poke Ball, that didn't give him any right to declare himself his new Trainer!

"Garbodor!" he gurgled indignantly. He crossed his arms stubbornly and exhaled a burst of Poison Gas.

Volan and Thrin both leapt to avoid the toxic cloud. The boy smiled sheepishly and replied, "I understand completely. You have every right to be reluctant to join me – after all, you have the fond memories of your old Trainer to hang on to, and you don't want to let them go."

Despite himself, Grunge was impressed. He nodded again and turned his nonexistent nose up at Volan.

"Alright," Volan said slowly, thinking of a way to sway his new Pokemon over to his side. "What do you say we make a deal? You travel around with me for a while, and if you become willing to accept all these new changes and open up a little, you stay. If you don't enjoy being with me and Bernice, then I'll let you leave."

_The irony,_ Volan was thinking. _I, who am guarded towards strangers, am telling Grunge to open up._

The Garbodor turned back to the boy, eyeing him with interest. He didn't want to admit it, but Volan fascinated him. He was willing to take Grunge's opinion into consideration, unlike most Trainers who would attempt to make him stay by force. Maybe it would be worth hanging around this new Trainer for a while and seeing what he was like.

"Gar-Garbodor!" the Poison-type said, giving a nod of finality. Volan grinned and extended his hand. "So we have a deal then?" he asked, and Grunge reached out with his own huge arm and clenched the boy's hand in his own. The deal was sealed.

Volan winced as he pulled his arm back. _Nice grip…_ he thought as he flexed his hand, trying to determine if anything was broken. "It's nice to have you on the team, Grunge… well, at least temporarily," Thrin piped up, giving Grunge a friendly smile. The Garbodor looked at her with confusion.

"Oh, yes!" Volan said. "This is my sister Thrin. If you're going to be traveling with us at least for the next little while, you might as well know who she is." Said girl waved happily at Grunge, trying not to gag from the smell that emanated from the Poison-type. One could almost hope that Grunge _wouldn't_ stay.

"So, are we headed for Striaton City?" she asked, and Volan nodded his confirmation. "Yes we are," he said. "Seeing how it's the middle of the day right now, we still have a few hours of walking to get in before nightfall."

"Pidoooove!" cooed Bernice, waving a wing in the direction of the path. "You're right, Bernice," Volan said, nodding to her. "We'll have to get back to the path first. Thrin, you lead."

Indeed, they entered the trees again and found the path easily. Thrin decided to let Oliver walk around with them and get some exercise. The Fire Pig Pokemon appeared with a happy grin, but immediately shrank back when he saw Grunge.

"Don't be scared," Thrin told Oliver. "Grunge is going to be staying with us for a while, so be nice, alright?" Oliver gave a nervous sort of grunt and eyed the Garbodor warily. Grunge just stared back until Oliver scampered off to walk in front of the humans.

They met the occasional rookie trainer on the road as they walked, but none of them stayed long. They took one look at Grunge and scurried off past them, most of them holding their noses as they ran. The Garbodor always watched them flee with a mix of satisfaction and pity.

It didn't take long before word among the Trainers on Route 2 spread, and within the hour, Volan and Thrin didn't see any other humans at all. _I guess having a huge, living trash bag stomping around behind you is more of a good thing than I thought,_ Volan thought cheerfully. He never knew how useful it would be to scare away the strangers he hated.

He hadn't always been so mistrustful. But that day… it had changed him.

As Volan noted, having a Garbodor around to scare off the more cowardly Trainers was useful, but it was also hard to remain inconspicuous. Grunge took large, heavy steps, which thudded loudly on the dirt and caused small Pokemon at the edge of the path to scatter. Therefore, it would be easy for any potential enemies to find them.

Nevertheless, both Volan and Thrin, as well as their Pokemon, were shocked to have a bunch of oddly-dressed figures leap out at them from the bushes. All five of them recognized the amoebic uniforms – they were with Team Plasma!

"Yes, that's the one!" cried one of the members, a rather tall fellow. "That's the Pokemon I was talking about. The one that was released! And it's already been recaptured!" He scowled and pointed an accusing finger at Grunge, who looked mad at the sudden intrusion.

"Clearly, something has to be done about the unhealthy amount of Trainers in this region," one of Tall Guy's companions, a mechanical-voiced woman, stated. The other four Plasmas nodded in unison, and the woman stepped forward.

"You, Trainers," she intoned. "You have captured a Pokemon that has already been claimed by Team Plasma in the name of Pokemon Liberation. Release it at once, and we may consider allowing you to keep your other Pokemon."

Volan's icy demeanor froze over more quickly than a raindrop in the Arctic. "You mean I must release a Pokemon I just rescued from a cold and lonely lifestyle so soon after being abandoned?" he huffed. He knew that he should be acting more respectfully toward adults, but he knew more than he needed to about Team Plasma, and that they definitely did not deserve his respect.

"Rescued?" laughed Tall Guy. "You Trainers are enslaving the Pokemon and disrupting the balance of nature! Pokemon are much happier being on their own, in the wild, where they can grow and mature freely."

Robot Voice stepped forward again and threatened monotonously, "Release the Garbodor or we will resort to force."

"We're not scared of force, not when we have force of our own!" Thrin countered, pointing a finger at Robot Voice. "Oliver, I choose you! Battle for me and save Grunge!"

With a cry of "Tep, Tepig!" the Fire Pig Pokemon leapt out from behind Thrin and huffed small flames from its nose.

"Bernice, stand beside Oliver and get ready for battle," Volan instructed, and Bernice nodded fiercely before doing as he ordered. "Grunge, stay out of this," he added, turning to him.

But Grunge could barely hear him. He stared, spellbound, at the five Team Plasma grunts, as the memories began to overtake him…

-.-.-.-.-.

_The Trainer held the Poke Ball at arm's length, pressing the button and allowing his Pokemon to be released. Grunge appeared with a determined roar, before looking around at their surroundings. "Bodor?" he asked, observing the dark forest in which they stood._

_"Grunge, I've been doing some thinking," the Trainer said, and the Poison-type was mystified at his master's suddenly-flat tone, its usual fierceness and determination gone._

_"Garbodor?" he asked again, unsure of what the boy was thinking._

_"Ever since I saw that speech in Accumula Town," the Trainer continued – Grunge and the other Pokemon had witnessed it from their Poke Balls – "I've been wondering over and over again if keeping you in this Poke Ball is the right thing to do. Now, I've made my decision. You and the others need to go free, Grunge. It's the only way for nature to be balanced."_

_Grunge had remembered the Team Plasma grunts and their weird uniforms, and didn't trust them one bit. "Gar, gar!" he protested, shaking his head and making his filthy skin rustle loudly._

_"I know this is hard," his Trainer said flatly, "but it is necessary. You need to go back to living in the wild. Then things will go back to normal." The teenager took out two other Poke Balls and released the creatures they held. A Roggenrola and a Blitzle both scampered away into the forest, eager to be free – after all, they hadn't been with their Trainer for long._

_"Follow their example, Grunge," the boy ordered. "Go live your life in freedom."_

_He began to walk away, and Grunge suddenly felt a huge wave of panic. "Bodor, gar!" he cried, stomping after the Trainer._

_Hugh turned around and glared at the Poison-type fiercely. "Goodbye, Grunge!" he yelled angrily, spinning on his heel and running off deeper into the forest, soon disappearing among the trees._

_Grunge could only hold out an arm and watch him go. "Gar… Garbodor…" he murmured, voice cracking. But then, the sadness drained away and was replaced by white-hot rage. How dare his Trainer abandon him?!_

_"GARBODOR!" he roared deafeningly, scattering weaker Pokemon of all kinds in the wake of the ferocious, echoing sound. "GARBODOR!" he roared again, blasting three trees to bits with a Solarbeam._

_Still seething mad, Grunge stomped into the forest, bellowing in anger and pain._

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan noticed that Grunge wasn't reacting, and indeed seemed to be lost in his thoughts. He didn't mind that the Trash Heap was hanging back, he actually felt relieved that he was. "It's all up to you and Oliver, Bernice," he said firmly, and the Pidove fluttered into the air from her position beside her companion, warbling courageously.

"So it's a Pokemon battle you wish for?" Tall Guy said smugly. "Well then, prepare to lose!" He tossed a Poke Ball, and out popped a Patrat. Volan eyed it – it looked more powerful than the numerous wild Patrat he'd seen. _Better scan it,_ he decided, pulling out his Pokedex.

"**Patrat, the Scout Pokemon,**" his device stated cheerfully. "**Using food stored in cheek pouches, they can keep watch of their well-hidden nest for days. They are low on the food chain and prey to many large species of Pokemon, and are naturally paranoid. This specimen is a young male, and his ability is Keen Eye. His attacks are Tackle and Leer.**"

"Two against one is hardly fair," Robot Voice stated flatly, and sent out her own Pokemon. It was small, green, and smelly, looking like a miniature version of Grunge. "Trub!" it gurgled with a snarl. Wordlessly, Volan pointed his Pokedex in its direction.

"**Trubbish, the Trash Bag Pokemon,**" it said. "**The pre-evolved form of Garbodor, they prefer unsanitary places and was created when industrial waste reacted with garbage bags. Inhaling the gas they breathe out will induce a week-long coma. This individual is female with the Stench ability. Her attacks are Pound, Poison Gas, and Recycle.**"

Volan felt a new burst of confidence when reading his opponents' data. These two Pokemon were weak with not a lot of experience. Working together with Thrin, he knew that he could do this. He nodded to Thrin, letting her take the first move.

"All right, Oliver, open up with Tackle!" the girl cried, and Oliver complied. With a snort, he barreled toward Trubbish with all his might.

"Use Pound," Robot Voice droned. Trubbish stepped out of Oliver's path and reared her appendage back, giving a mighty slap when he got close. "Tepig!" he cried, being thrown to the side with a squeal of pain.

"Get up and use Ember!" Thrin said. Oliver took a deep inhalation, preparing to snort his fire burst. But Tall Guy jumped in and commanded his Patrat, "Use Leer on that puny pig!"

Patrat scampered over and glared intensely into Oliver's eyes. He broke off the Ember attack and crept backwards for fear of the freaky stare. But as Patrat glared at Oliver and immobilized him, the rodent Pokemon was temporarily helpless.

"Bernice, hit it with Air Cutter!" Volan cried. Bernice trilled fiercely and swept her wings forward, releasing two blades of wind from her feathers. They hit Patrat right in the back at the exact same time, sending him flying into his Trainer. Tall Guy shouted as his Pokemon slammed into him and sent them both to the ground.

"Now Ember, Oliver!" commanded Thrin. "Pig, Tepig!" Oliver replied, eager to make up for his earlier cowardice. With a huff of his nostrils, the burst of fiery light was on its way. Patrat and Tall Guy got up painfully just in time for the Ember to connect, sending Patrat into instant unconsciousness and scorching Tall Guy's uniform.

Now it was only Trubbish that stood in their way. Robot Voice looked unconcerned as she emotionlessly gave Trubbish her orders. "Use your Poison Gas," she droned.

Trubbish seemed to inflate before their eyes, and then belched a large cloud of purple gas that floated toward them. "Get away, Oliver!" Thrin cried out, and believe me, he didn't need telling twice.

Even as the Fire Pig scampered away from the steadily advancing cloud, Volan immediately know what he had to do. "Bernice, blow it away with Gust, and then follow into Quick Attack!"

"Pidoooove!" she warbled, blowing a wave of wind toward the purple smoke even while she absorbed white light into her body in preparation for Quick Attack.

Trubbish and Robot Voice looked shocked and devastated that their Poison Gas attack simply blew away when Bernice's Gust hit (Volan guessed that they weren't the brightest flames on the proverbial Chandelure). So shocked, in fact, that they didn't even attempt to dodge as Bernice blasted forth through the air with white energy trailing behind her.

The Pidove smashed into Trubbish, the force of the attack causing her to bounce back into the air, flapping her wings to steady herself. But just then, she recoiled and wrinkled her beak, shaking her head distractedly. _Oh, Muk breath,_ Volan cursed inwardly. _Its Stench ability! Of course._

Robot Voice lost her stunned expression as things started going her way. "Smack it out of the air with Pound," she intoned. "Trub!" the Trash Bag confirmed, as she jumped into the air with surprising strength. She reared back and gave Bernice a mighty slap that sent her tumbling out of the air.

"Are you alright, Bernice?" Volan yelled up to her. She steadied herself and shivered her feathers before looking at him and giving an affirmative trill. "That's good," he said, relieved. "Now, Air Cutter!"

"Dove!" she squawked, rearing her wings back and giving them a single strong flap. Two air currents swept forth and hit Trubbish, sending her into the dirt. The Poison-type groaned and slipped into unconsciousness.

"No, Team Plasma cannot lose!" said one of the three Plasma onlookers, a stocky guy with glasses.

"Let us help," offered a scrawny-looking girl.

The three nodded and advanced far enough to brush their comrades aside, each throwing individual Poke Balls. A Patrat, Purrloin, and an ugly-looking thing called a Croagunk appeared, each giving their own shrill cries as they faced Bernice and Oliver.

"Hey, ganging up isn't fair!" Thrin protested. Her brother replied snidely, "Something tells me they aren't going to listen. Let's just fight to the best of our ability." They nodded simultaneously, and stood to face their three new adversaries.

"Tackle, Patrat!" yelled Glasses. The rodent threw itself forward at Bernice.

"Use Scratch, Purrloin!" shouted Thin Girl. The Devious Pokemon leapt at Oliver.

"Croagunk, use Poison Sting!" the third Plasma instructed. A flurry of toxic needles flew at both Pokemon.

All three attacks hit their marks, and Bernice and Oliver endured them, but barely. Both the Tepig and the Pidove were panting as the strain of combat got to them. Volan clenched his jaw as he tried to predict the amount of damage Bernice could take before fainting, and the number he guessed was unpleasantly low.

"We have to win this," Thrin hissed, but even her determination was starting to fade.

But just then, something huge and smelly stomped into Volan's line of sight. He was initially bewildered, but he rapidly recognized the amorphous mass as Grunge. The Garbodor was no longer lost in thought, but looking angry and fierce. He gave a gurgling bellow that caused a flock of Pidove to fly up in a flurry of wings, cooing fearfully.

"Grunge, do you want to fight?" Volan asked incredulously, and Grunge looked back at his temporary Trainer. "Gar, odor, gar!" he replied, before facing the Plasmas and stomping both feet threateningly, ready to rumble.

Volan allowed a small smirk to creep across his face. "Excellent," he said. "Now, give the Patrat a taste of your Poison Gas!"

Immediately, purple gas hissed out in jets from Grunge's right arm. Pumped out at such a pressure, it reached the small brown Pokemon in the blink of an eye. The Patrat got a lungful of the toxic gas and immediately collapsed, body wracked with spasms as the poison shut down its consciousness.

"Get 'im, Croagunk! Use Brick Break!" cried one of the Plasmas.

The ugly, frog-like Pokemon took one look at the angry Grunge and swallowed thickly. "Do it!" the Plasma insisted, taking no heed of Croagunk's fear.

"Croa-GAAAAA!" it suddenly screeched, leaping forward with its fists glowing. Volan instantly ordered, "Grunge, strike back with Pound!"

"Garbodor!" bellowed Grunge, charging to meet Croagunk. His cannon-like left arm swept forward and smashed into Croagunk's midsection, sending the Poison-and-Fighting-type flying, so to speak. When it hit the ground, it moaned, "Croaaaaaa…" and fell silent.

By now, Thin Girl was looking pale, and her Purrloin would too if it wasn't covered in fur. "Oliver, use Body Slam!" Thrin cried, hoping to get a successful hit in. Oliver charged forward and then jumped at the last second, landing spread-eagled on the Purrloin's back.

"Finish it with Solarbeam, Grunge!" Volan called. Grunge nodded and began to absorb solar energy through his head tufts. The Purrloin got up shakily, only to meet Grunge's leering face as its tufts glowed brighter and brighter.

"Purrloin, use your Scratch attack while it charges!" Thin Girl demanded, but it was no use. Grunge's sharp-toothed smirk held poor Purrloin prisoner.

Finally, the Solarbeam finished charging, and Grunge released it from his left arm in a burst of blazing white light. Purrloin had no choice but to take the attack directly, and needless to say it came out fully unconscious.

"Plasmaaaaa!" cried Robot Voice, her usually dead tone filled with panic.

"They're too strong!" squeaked Glasses.

With fear-filled cries of "Plaaaaasmaaaaaa!" the five grunts sped off into the forest, and in moments there was no sign of them.

Thrin collapsed. "Whew, for a second I thought we were done for!" she exclaimed.

"Tepig, Tepig! _Me too, that was worrying!_" sighed Oliver, running to his mistress' side.

"Bernice, you were amazing," Volan complimented his friend as she fluttered down to tiredly perch on his shoulder. "Piii… Pidooove…" she panted. "_No problem… Master Volan…_"

The teenager then turned to Grunge, who was glaring after the Plasmas. "Hey, they're gone," Volan smiled. "Loosen up for once. We won! You aren't going back to the wild anytime soon."

The Garbodor looked positively radiant when he said this. "Garb, garbo!" he cheered, hopping up and down excitedly. But he stopped when he realized something – that he honestly enjoyed traveling with Volan. If every day was going to be this intense, then Grunge wanted a part in the action! _Besides, Volan's… a pretty nice guy…_ he thought to himself.

"So, Grunge…" the boy began, causing him to look up from his thoughts, "…are you willing to give me a final answer? Do you want to come with me, or are you happier on your own?"

After thinking about it, Grunge made the decision that would change his life for good. He used his right arm to reach into Volan's pocket and grab his Poke Ball, then intentionally hit himself with it. A burst of red light ensued as Grunge was automatically sucked inside.

That was answer enough for Volan. He turned the Poke Ball upside down to peer through the transparent bottom, and saw Grunge giving him a genuine smile. Volan smiled back and whispered, "Thanks, buddy."

He pocketed the Poke Ball and turned to an awestruck Thrin. "So, want to cover some more ground before the sun goes down? We've still got a few hours."

Thrin grinned at him and gave him a high-five. "Yep! Tomorrow morning, we're going to be in Striaton City!"

Volan couldn't help but think of the adventures that awaited him in Striaton City. _I hear there's a Gym there, and that would be an excellent way to test the strength of my Pokemon,_ he mused thoughtfully. _We're going to get stronger, and as we do, we'll figure out what to do next._

He turned his gaze to the sky, still visible through the trees of Route 2's forest. Indeed, he already had a good idea of what his goals were…

-.-.-.-.-.

**I've always imagined Garbodor to sound like the Waterwraith from Pikmin 2. Just imagine when Volan first sees Grunge storming out of the bushes – the Poison-type raises its arms and rears its head back, giving off an immense, gurgling roar that echoes. Yeesh, that gives me goosebumps.**

**Anyway, looks like the Garbodor's finally willing to accept Volan as his new Trainer. Volan's happy about that for sure – he officially has a new partner on his side! Grunge will certainly be a strong member of Volan's growing family!**

**But what will happen when Hugh finds out his old Pokemon is traveling with someone else?**

**Team Plasma: "In the name of Pokemon Liberation, you must review!"**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**


	9. Learning on the Job

_**Chapter 8 - Learning on the Job**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan and Thrin introduced themselves to Grunge the Garbodor, who initially wasn't willing to trust Volan. However, the boy struck a deal with his newest partner, which he accepted. Shortly after, they were ganged up on by five Team Plasma grunts, who demanded that they return Grunge to the wild. The two siblings easily defeated them when Grunge came to their aid, and the Garbodor made a final decision to stick with Volan on his adventures. Volan was delighted, not suspecting that Grunge's old Trainer is someone they had already met…**

-.-.-.-.-.

It wasn't long before Volan and Thrin began to encounter signs of civilization. After a good night's rest in the woods – they each had small, portable tents in their bags, so sleeping outside wasn't an issue – the two siblings had woken up at the crack of dawn in order to get an early start. After a quick breakfast, they found the path again and were on their way to Striaton City once more.

But soon, the two teenagers noticed an abrupt change in the road – the rough dirt path became smooth and paved, and the occasional street light rose up from the side of the road and poked their lightbulbs through the leaves on the trees overhead.

"Looks like we're about to enter Striaton City at last," Thrin remarked, stopping to examine one of the nearly-hidden street lights.

Volan nodded, and Bernice cooed in anticipation. She couldn't wait to get back to the hustle and bustle of civilization. Volan knew that it was because her species was more of an urban Pokemon, but he still found it a little off-putting. He preferred the serenity of nature and small towns, not loud and crowded cities.

Volan suddenly thought of something. Did he want to journey to other regions eventually? There were five others besides Unova – Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Kalos. Just thinking of all the different Flying-types that swarmed through the skies over those regions made his heart beat faster. It was definitely something worth thinking about – he had heard that Kanto was nice and peaceful, while Sinnoh's cities were rather wild and Hoenn's seas were bracing. And little was known about Kalos, but Volan had heard amazing stories of the brave Talonflame and the ferocious Noivern…

The boy shook his head to clear these thoughts from his head. _Focus on Unova for now,_ he thought. _Just focus on home, and who knows… maybe Bernice, Grunge, and I will become skilled enough to travel the world._

"What are you thinking about, Volan?" asked Thrin suddenly. "I just know you're thinking deeply about something."

From his position next to his mistress (more like his mistress' ankles), Oliver snorted and looked up at Volan curiously. It was a long way up from his height of 1'08'' to Volan's height of 5'09''.

The boy smiled at his sister and said dismissively, "I'm just wondering if we should travel to other regions when we're done doing… whatever it is we want to do in Unova."

Thrin grew excited at his mention of other regions and enthused, "Oh, I've heard the Pokemon Contests in Hoenn are awesome!"

Volan grinned at her sudden enthusiasm. "I think we should just focus on home sweet home for now," he said.

Thrin nodded seriously and replied, "Good plan. Speaking of which, we were heading toward the city?" She gestured down the road to demonstrate her point.

But the pair had only taken five steps onward when they heard a familiar sing-song voice calling from behind them. "Volaaaaan~! Thriiiiiin~! Wait uuuuuuup~!"

It was Bianca. The blonde girl skipped up to them and paused for a second to catch her breath. "Are you two headed for Striaton City too?" she asked, to which Volan and Thrin nodded in unison.

"Awwwwwesome~!" Bianca chirped. "Hey, I'm going to the Striaton Gym! I'm going to collect eight Gym Badges from around Unova so that I can compete in the Pokemon League! Anyway, I want to test out how strong Snivy and Lillipup are, so can we have a battle? Pleeeeeaaase?"

Her rush of words made it difficult to decipher what she had just said. However, Volan managed to do so relatively quickly. He simply shrugged and replied, "Alright then. If we're all going to the same place, we might as well go together. I as well was hoping to check out the Gym. And Thrin," he suddenly added, turning to her, "why don't you battle Bianca?"

"Hmm? Why me?" his sister asked.

Volan hesitated before replying, "No offence, but you don't have a lot of experience compared to Bernice and I. So why don't you use Oliver and spar with Bianca while I act as the referee?"

A sparkle lit Thrin's eyes, the sparkle of determination. "No offence taken! I'm more than ready to fight Bianca!"

Said girl looked delighted. "Alriiiiiight!" she cheered. "We'll battle right here. Volan, as you said, you're the referee!" She skipped off a ways away from the two of them and came to a stop a respectable distance for a Pokemon battle to take place.

"Oliver, win this for me," Thrin said. The Fire-type happily replied, "Tepig!" and scurried to assume a battle-ready stance in front of her.

On the other side of the improvised battlefield, Bianca tossed a Poke Ball and cried, "Go, my dearest Snivy!" The Grass Snake Pokemon appeared with a flash of light and a calm hiss.

"Sny, Snivy," she said, folding her little arms smugly.

Volan cleared his throat and did his best to act as referee. "This will be a one-on-one battle between Thrin and Bianca. The battle will be over when one Pokemon has lost consciousness or has otherwise given up. Ready, and… begin!" he cried, slashing his arm downwards.

"First move, Snivy! Use your Iron Tail~!" Bianca sang. Snivy's tail took on a metallic silver color as she rushed forward with incredible speed at Oliver. _Snivy are renowned for their speed,_ Volan remembered from a book he had read.

Oliver was hit solidly, a critical hit for sure. However, his Fire-type ensured that a relatively small amount of damage was dealt. "Now, Oliver, strike back with Tackle!" called Thrin.

"Tepiiiiig!" squealed Oliver, rushing at Snivy.

"You use Tackle too, Snivy!" Bianca ordered, and the Grass-type charged to meet her enemy head-on. There was an immense clashing sound as the two Pokemon slammed into each other, and both backed away, somewhat hurt.

"While Snivy is stunned, use Ember!" Thrin shouted. Oliver inhaled deeply and then snorted a burst of embers from his nose. If it connected, then Snivy would most likely be knocked out from the super-effective hit.

With the commandeering of Bianca, Snivy managed to pull off an impressive dodge and avoid the blast of flames. She retaliated with a fierce Vine Whip, lashing Oliver and causing him to cringe in pain. From Volan's point of view, it looked as if Bianca's Snivy was in better condition than Oliver, but he also knew from bitter experience how quickly the tables could turn in a Pokemon battle.

"Oliver, use Tail Whip!" Thrin called, at the same time Bianca ordered a Tackle. Snivy charged forward with another burst of speed, only to be tripped by Oliver's tail. She hit the ground with a gasp.

"Sny…" the Grass-type grunted, painfully picking herself back up. But Thrin saw her opportunity, and shouted "Now, Oliver, use Ember again!"

"Teeeeh… PIIIIIIG!" Oliver squealed, releasing another powerful burst of fire. Even as Snivy got to her feet, the Ember attack was right on top of her. There was a small explosion, and the Grass Snake Pokemon flew out of the resulting cloud of smoke and hit the ground.

"Snyyyyyy…" she moaned, clearly unable to continue.

On that cue, Volan grinned and said, "Snivy's unable to battle, and that means the winner is Thrin and Oliver!"

Thrin ran onto the former battlefield and hugged Oliver tightly. "We won!" she cried. "Our first battle ever!"

The Tepig hugged his Trainer back and squealed delightedly. Volan smiled at the Fire-type's ecstasy.

"Pidoooove, doooove! _Good job, both of you!_" Bernice trilled, flapping her wings. She was clearly glad to see her new friend Oliver win his first Pokemon battle alongside his mistress.

"Aww, we lost…" Bianca muttered. She called Snivy back into her Poke Ball and ran over to Volan and Thrin.

"That was an awesome battle!" Thrin said, grinning uncontrollably, giving Bianca a high-five.

"It was, wasn't it?" Bianca replied, throwing her arms around Thrin and crushing her in an Ursaring hug.

Volan hastily separated the two girls before his sister could suffocate. "We should really be off to Striaton City, don't you think?" he asked, taking the time to give Oliver a congratulatory pat on the head.

Thrin and Bianca both nodded, and with that, the three of them began to walk upon the path once more.

-.-.-.-.-.

They reached Striaton City an hour later. It was Volan's first time being in a city, and as he thought, he didn't like it as much as Lacunosa, Nuvema, or Accumula Town. He had to admit, though, it did have a certain charm to it.

"First things first~!" Bianca sang, doing a short little twirl of excitement. "We have to head to the Gym and challenge the Gym Leader!"

But before she could head off, Thrin pointed out, "Shouldn't you heal Snivy at the Pokemon Center before you go off battling tough Trainers?"

Bianca immediately stopped dancing and thought about that. "All of our Pokemon could use a rest," Volan advised. "So we'll all head there first. Maybe we can get a meal in the cafeteria while we're there."

Before long, they had reached the Pokemon Center and handed their total of five Pokemon – Snivy, Lillipup, Oliver, Bernice, and Grunge – to Nurse Joy and her Audino in order for them to be healed. While the three Trainers waited, they checked out the menu at the cafeteria.

It didn't take long for them to be snuck up on by Audino. "Audi~!" she sang, causing them all to jump. She was wheeling a tray in front of her, upon which sat their four Poke Balls as well as Bernice. The Poke Balls were belly-up, allowing the three of them to peer through the transparent bottoms and see which Pokemon was theirs.

"Dove, Pidove!" Bernice squawked, taking a few short flaps to rest on Volan's shoulder once more. Thrin took Oliver's Poke Ball while Bianca snatched hers.

"Thanks, Audino," Thrin said with a smile.

"Audi, Audino~!" the pink Pokemon sang before walking off with her tray.

Quickly, they all found a table and ordered what they wished. The humans had to pay for their meals, while the Pokemon got theirs free of charge. Taking full advantage of this, the three called out Oliver, Lillipup, Snivy, and Grunge to eat with them.

They didn't take long to finish eating their meals – indeed, Grunge and Bianca were the quickest when it came to food. Close behind were Bernice and Lillipup. Volan cried out in surprise, to the stares of other Trainers eating as well, when Bernice suddenly flew up to the table and tried to peck off a morsel of his sandwich.

As they ate, they talked. Bianca did most of the talking, sharing several amusing stories about her and Cheren as they grew up – she even mentioned something called the "Swadloon Incident" which ended up with Cheren earning the nickname that Bianca sometimes called him by.

Volan and Thrin only smirked darkly when she warned them not to mention it to said boy.

By the time Volan, Thrin, and Bianca stepped outside of the Pokemon Center, Poke Balls in tow, the day had already passed into the afternoon. "Now, shall we head to the Gym?" Volan asked, and the two girls with him nodded.

"I guess it would be worth checking out," Thrin decided. "Maybe I can use the opportunity to test Oliver's strength as well."

Bianca ran ahead of them, humming a tune to herself. "Come on, it's this waaaaay~!" she sang, skipping down the sidewalk. But she didn't get far before she accidentally ran into someone and tumbled to the ground.

Running to catch up with her, Volan and Thrin were startled to discover that the person Bianca had bumped into was none other than Cheren. "Sorry, so sorry! So sorry! It won't happen again!" Bianca said frantically, bombarding her friend with apologies.

Cheren only sighed. "Bianca, you say that every time, and nothing ever changes," he told her. "Don't you think I've gotten used to it by now?" He held out a hand and helped her up onto her feet, and she reached down to brush the dust off of her skirt.

"So, what are you doing here, Cheren?" Thrin asked curiously.

He pointed in the direction that he had come from and explained, "I decided to visit the Pokemon Trainers' School before taking the Gym challenge. It taught me a lot about improving my Oshawott's abilities, not to mention my own as a Trainer."

"Going to school is good and all," Volan said with a smug smirk, "but it doesn't match up to experience. If you really want to learn, you have to try it out yourself."

Cheren matched his smirk. "Oh, really?" he challenged. "Then why don't I test out the things I've learned on you right now?"

Volan's grin only grew wider. "I thought you'd never ask, Cherry-boy. Let's have a simple one-on-one battle, alright?"

The bespectacled, black-haired boy accepted his challenge even as Volan cleaned his glasses – they were getting a little blurred.

"Just one thing," Cheren said, holding up a hand and turning his head to look at Bianca. "I thought I told you never to mention the Swadloon Incident," he added scathingly.

The blonde only flushed bright pink and giggled nervously.

With that settled, Cheren and Volan moved into position. Out on the street, the battle was bound to have spectators, and pedestrians indeed gathered to watch the battle. Most were rookie Trainers, but there were a few adults as well. Volan suddenly began to feel claustrophobic as the spectators circled them, leaving a wide, clear space for the battle.

_The last time I battled with so many witnesses… it didn't go so well…_ Volan thought, then forced himself to swallow the memory along with his nervousness.

"Alright, Bernice, it's up to you again," he said quietly, and Bernice nodded. "Pidoooooove!" she trilled as she flew up from Volan's shoulder, soaring in circles above the amazed crowd before landing lightly on the paved earth.

Cheren stared calculatingly at Bernice before pulling out a Poke Ball. "Alright then, here's my Pokemon!" he cried, tossing it out above the battlefield. In a flash of blue light, his Oshawott appeared, looking fierce and determined to win.

"Oshawott, osha!" it said, tapping its scalchop proudly.

Volan decided to let his Pokedex take it from here. "**Oshawott, the Sea Otter Pokemon. It fights using the scalchop on its stomach, which is made of the same material as claws. It will retaliate to any attack by slashing with it. This individual is a young male with the Torrent ability. His attacks are Tackle, Water Gun, Focus Energy, and Night Slash.**"

Putting away the Pokedex, Volan caught his opponent doing the same thing – obviously, he had been scanning Bernice to see what moves she had learned.

"So your Pidove knows the same four moves as it did last time we met," he stated, sounding disappointed.

"So what?" snapped Volan. "It takes more than fancy moves to win a battle. Bernice, start with Gust!"

"Dove dooooove!" Bernice cried as her wings glowed. She pumped them furiously, kicking up a whirlwind that caught Oshawott off guard. Volan could see it being pushed backwards even as it tried to stand its ground.

"Oshawott, use Focus Energy," Cheren ordered. Immediately, the Water-type calmed down and closed its eyes tightly, indeed looking focused with its mouth in a firm, downwards-pointing line.

"While it's busy, hit with Air Cutter!" Volan called, and Bernice broke off the Gust in favor of her air current attack. She slashed down with her wings, firing several spinning blades of air at Oshawott.

Too busy concentrating, the Sea Otter Pokemon was hit by three of the blades. "Woooott!" he cried, hitting the ground with a painful-sounding thud. "Osha… _She's tougher than she looks…_" he hissed as he staggered to his feet. Air Cutter had dealt a critical hit, meaning that it had packed more punch than usual.

Cheren was far from discouraged. "Now, Oshawott, fire a Water Gun!" he commanded, and Oshawott immediately fired a jet of high-pressure water from its mouth.

"Dodge, Bernice, and get close with Quick Attack!" Volan retorted.

The Pidove somersaulted midair in order to avoid the Water Gun, then screamed toward Oshawott like a feathered fighter plane. Once again, Oshawott went sprawling to the ground. The crowd murmured in excitement as the little otter determinedly staggered to his feet again.

"Night Slash," Cheren said simply, and Oshawott nodded fiercely. It detached its scalchop from its stomach as it began to glow a shadowy purple. A dark blade extended from the shell, and Oshawott ran forward with a battle cry, swinging the scalchop like a maniac.

"Get in his face, Bernice!" Volan called, and Cheren lifted an eyebrow at his seemingly suicide order. But Bernice trusted her master, and rushed to meet Oshawott. When she got in front of him, she suddenly flared her wings, causing him to flinch in shock.

Volan smiled and revealed his strategy. "While Oshawott's staring at you, use Hypnosis!"

Cheren's eyes widened, and Oshawott's did too – but for a different reason. A triangle of blue orbs appeared around Bernice, whirling in complicated patterns. When the lights disappeared back into her body, the Water-type closed its eyes, lay down, and began to snore loudly.

"Rest for now, Bernice," Volan told her, and she fluttered down to the ground, grateful for the breather. "Oshawott, wake up!" Cheren yelled in anguish, and that was enough to make Oshawott stir and blearily open his eyes.

"Wooooott…?_ What happened…?_" he asked, just as Bernice finished resting.

"End this with Air Cutter!" her master called, and a smirk split her beak in two.

"DOOOOOVE!" she shrieked as she relentlessly bombarded Oshawott with air currents. After three seconds of this abuse, it was all over.

"Oshawott's unable to battle~!" Bianca cheered in a sing-song voice. She ran over to give Bernice a big hug. "You won again, you adorable little thing! Yes you did!" she cooed, smothering the poor little bird with love.

While Bernice sighed and gave in, Cheren returned Oshawott to its Poke Ball and walked up to face Volan.

"You seem to be a better Trainer than me," he said flatly. Volan just shrugged uncomfortably and left it at that. The spectators, muttering amongst themselves enthusiastically, were beginning to disperse.

Cheren continued, "It seems as if I have a lot of work to do before I challenge the Gym. You, however, seem quite prepared already."

Volan just looked at the slightly younger boy, not sure how to react to the compliment. He still felt wary around Cheren, but… he seemed to be a nice person, at least.

"Thanks," he finally replied. "Where is the Gym anyway? Can you point us in the right direction?"

The black-haired boy briefly gave Thrin and Bianca a look as they chattered animatedly to one another. "Oh, so Bianca's traveling with you?" he asked rhetorically. "Three is better than two, I guess. Anyway, the Striaton Gym is over yonder. It has the Unova League symbol above the front door, you can't miss it." He pointed in the direction he had been coming from before he had run into Bianca.

"Thank you, Cheren," Volan said sincerely. He gave Cheren a nod, who returned it before walking off, presumably to go train.

Thrin and Bianca walked over to Volan and gave him infectious grins. "You never fail to impress me, big brother," Thrin told him, causing him to blush slightly.

"Is it just me, or is he really cute when he blushes like that?" Bianca whispered excitedly, and also very audibly.

Volan coughed, and she ended up blushing herself. "Um, I-I mean… that was awesome, Volan!" she suddenly cheered, getting up in his face and hugging him in celebration.

"Are you going to act like this every time we meet, Bianca?" he asked exasperatedly, gently but firmly pushing her away.

"More importantly, are we going to the Gym?" Thrin asked impatiently, tapping her foot. Volan sighed and Bianca skipped from foot to foot, seemingly unable to keep still. As they walked down the road to the Striaton Gym, Volan made a mental note to himself:

_Never feed Bianca sugar._

-.-.-.-.-.

**"Never feed Bianca sugar." That's a real-deal warning, kiddies.**

**I just realized something frightening… Volan's full name – "Volantes Gurei" – means "flying grey" when translated into English. And his Starter is a Pidove.**

**I swear, that's a complete coincidence.**

**For the record, Noivern has an awesome name – a combo of "noise" and "wyvern" – but Talonflame's is just the worst. Why not call it Grineferno or something? As in "peregrine" and "inferno"?**

**Ugh… just review, guys.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**


	10. Thrin, Plasma, and the Munna

_**Chapter 9 - Thrin, Plasma, and the Munna**_

**Last time in "Tale of a Legend"…**

**After fighting off Team Plasma, Volan and Thrin met up with Bianca and engaged in a brief battle between her and the younger Gurei. After Thrin won her first battle, the group headed to Striaton City, where they rested for a while before heading to the Gym. However, they bumped into Cheren along the way, and Volan won the battle that followed by using Bernice's Hypnosis skill.**

-.-.-.-.-.

The Plasma King frowned as he recalled what he had just previously heard. The five grunts he had sent out to continue the liberation of Pokemon from their Trainers on Route 2 had come back with frightened expressions and a wild story to tell.

Apparently, they had seen the Garbodor that had been reportedly liberated from its Trainer, only in the hands of another Trainer. When the grunts tried to force the Trainer to release the poor creature back into the wild by force, it had stepped up to defend its Trainer, giving them all a sound thrashing and chasing them off.

His frown deepened slightly as he recalled that particular detail. The Garbodor had defended its new Trainer, even after being caught so recently, and reportedly without any prompting from said Trainer. That means whomever it was that had captured the previously-liberated Poison-type didn't use force or even words to sway the Pokemon – the Garbodor had protected a human out of its own free will.

_It can't possibly be the same person, can it?_ the King thought to himself. _Volan, whose Pidove was so loyal and so attached to him?_

Whoever it was, he would need to keep tabs on this Trainer just in case. With such a strong – and apparently loyal – Pokemon on his side, he could be a serious threat to Team Plasma. But hopefully, the Plasma King would not need to worry about Trainers of any strength once he had the Legendary Pokemon of ideals on his side.

He decided that he would send two Plasma grunts to Striaton City for a couple of reasons. One would be to keep a lookout for this Trainer and his mysterious connection with Pokemon – maybe he could be swayed to Team Plasma's side? The King didn't know for certain.

The other reason would be to find a Munna and its Dream Mist in the Dreamyard. With that enigmatic material, Team Plasma would be able to manipulate the hearts of Trainers and use a different kind of force to make them liberate their Pokemon. And then maybe the Legendary Pokemon wouldn't be needed after all.

-.-.-.-.-.

"The Gym's closed?" Bianca asked, a little confused as to why that would be. The man blocking the door, who had introduced himself as Clyde, nodded.

"Sorry, miss," he said politely. "They're undergoing minor renovations at the moment. It shouldn't take more than a day, so try coming back later. Again, I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

Volan nodded understandably, Thrin just shrugged, and Bianca pouted. But they walked away after saying their farewells to Clyde.

"That's a little disappointing," the younger Gurei sighed.

"It's _a lot_ disappointing!" replied Bianca. "I was so looking forward to earning my first badge!"

"Hey, there's nothing we can do about it," Volan told her, trying to calm her down. "We can just check back tomorrow and see if they're done renovating. Come to think of it, we could use the rest of the day to train for the Gym if we want."

Bianca brightened instantly at that prospect. "You're right!" she squealed. "We can do our training in the Dreamyard! I've heard all about it, it's supposed to be the ruins of an abandoned laboratory that was supposed to be" –

"Goodness, take a breath, Bianca!" Thrin laughed, semi-annoyed but also amused by the blonde's chatter. "I agree, we should go to the Dreamyard to train. I've heard that a lot of rookie Trainers go there to do just that, and we might even be able to catch some new Pokemon!"

With that settled, the three of them began to make their way east toward the forest surrounding Striaton City. Thrin had the map, so she led the way while Bianca and Volan followed behind her.

There was little talk, and most of that talk was made up by Bianca as she chattered to Volan. It was mostly just small talk – they talked about things like the Unova League and what kinds of Pokemon they liked. Volan managed to hold up his end of the conversation, despite the blonde's incessant yakking. He also managed to learn a little bit more about the Unova League from her as well.

According to Bianca, there were eleven Gyms present in Unova, and a Trainer had to earn a minimum of eight badges from them in order to compete in the Unova League. Situated at the top of Victory Road, the tournaments held there went on once a year and lasted for at least a week, and indeed there was a small community built close by as well, dedicated to serving the needs of the Trainers that competed. Apparently, there was a huge tournament that went on until only one challenger remained. Then that challenger would go on to fight the Elite Four – the four most powerful Pokemon Trainers in the entire region – and if they were defeated, the winner had the option of challenging the Unova Champion for possession of his title.

Volan had seen the Champion in action before, when he had come to Lacunosa Town during a small festival. It was awe-inspiring to watch him battle, and even more so to watch him interact with other Trainers and their Pokemon. Volan had been utterly fascinated when a young, green-haired boy had been invited by the Champion to talk with him. The Gurei boy, and of course Bernice, had watched from the sidelines as the other boy stated his dream of becoming a Pokemon Trainer and winning the title of Champion. The Champion himself had laughed and encouraged the boy to follow his dream, before walking off into the sunset, his visit to Lacunosa at an end.

What was it like being the Champion, the most powerful and unbeatable Trainer in Unova? Volan guessed it wasn't easy, having to constantly get stronger and stronger to hold that title and inspire younger generations of Trainers. It was a lot of work to claim the title of Champion, and even more work to keep it. And then there was even more work involved when it came to working with other Trainers, giving them advice and encouraging them to take the paths they wanted. Many people dreamed of becoming Champion, but Volan had to admit that he didn't think it was really worth it.

"Volan~!" the voice said distantly. "Hello? Are you still listening?"

He felt Bernice's sharp beak peck him near his eye, and he gave a pained exclamation and surfaced from his thoughts. "What?" he asked uncertainly. "Sorry, Bianca, but you lost me."

"I said, 'What kinds of Pokemon are you planning to train?'" she repeated, serious for once – although that might have been because she was upset that he hadn't been listening. "Don't you have a plan as to what types and strengths you're going to build your team around? You can't be an effective Pokemon Trainer without a strong team of different Pokemon. Even I know that!" she added with a laugh.

Volan considered. "I don't know," he decided. "I guess I'll catch whatever crosses my path, really. I mean, Pokemon don't really come out where humans can see them, so when I travel, I guess I should look around a little. But since Flying-types are my favorites, you can be sure I'll be catching a few winged ones."

Bianca laughed again, but was cut short when Thrin called back, "Hey lovebirds. We're getting close to the Dreamyard, so you should get your Poke Balls ready. We've got the entire afternoon to train, after all."

All three of them grinned in anticipation.

-.-.-.-.-.

Despite Bianca's claims of the Dreamyard being a popular training ground, the Dreamyard was largely deserted, from the look of it when the three of them arrived. It was a ruined laboratory building, with its walls strewn across the ground in heaps of rubble and wild plants growing around and over it. Exposed to nature as it was, lots of wild Pokemon made the old building their home.

"So where do we start?" Volan asked, looking around the ruins. "There doesn't seem to be any Trainers around except us." They were currently in a small clearing rich in broken-down concrete walls and large shrubs.

Peeking under one of the bushes, Thrin mused, "I guess we can either look for wild Pokemon, or we can train against ourselves."

Bianca hopped up and down in excitement. "I pick the second option!" she squealed, taking out her two Poke Balls. "Go, Snivy and Lillipup!"

Both Pokemon appeared with individual flashes of blue light. "Pup, pup!" barked Lillipup, tongue hanging out of her mouth as she chased her tail.

"Sny sny…" Snivy muttered, looking on at her comrade's embarrassing behavior with distaste.

"Now, who's going to train with me?" Bianca asked, trying to sound serious but failing as a huge grin of anticipation split her face in two. Thrin opened her mouth to accept her challenge, when there was a sudden rustle in the bushes.

"Hmm?" said Bianca, turning around and facing the shrubs. "Now whatever could that be? Oh, what if it's a cute little Purrloin? Or a precious little Petilil? Ohhhh, I wanna see what it is!" She went from idly curious to wildly excited in under three seconds, which Volan began to assume with some exasperation was normal for her.

The three friends grew silent as they waited for whatever it was to come out of hiding. Bianca was barely able to even do that, humming to herself and doing a dance on the spot. But she finally settled down, just in time to see the Pokemon pop out of the foliage.

It was nothing like Volan, Thrin, or Bianca had ever seen. It was oval in shape, with a drooping nose and four stubby legs, and a body emblazoned with pink floral patterns. "Muuuu?" it said uncertainly, regarding the humans with frightened curiosity.

"What is it?" Thrin whispered, voicing the question that hung in each of their minds. Wordlessly, Volan pulled out his Pokedex and scanned the unknown creature, turning down the volume just in case the encyclopedia's voice scared it.

"**Munna, the Dream Eater Pokemon,**" it said. "**Munna always float in the air, and eat the dreams of people and Pokemon. It expels a pink-colored mist if it eats a good dream. This individual is a young female with the Synchronize ability. Her attacks are Psywave, Defense Curl, and Yawn.**"

"Muuuun?" the Munna asked, still curious but unwilling to come out just yet.

Thrin bent down and held out her arms invitingly. "Come on, we're not going to hurt you," she said soothingly. "Why not come out and say hi?"

The pink Psychic-type shifted her gaze to Bianca's Pokemon. They didn't seem to be afraid of the scary humans. Indeed, they looked quite comfortable standing alongside them. Munna decided that the humans weren't going to hurt her if other Pokemon felt safe enough to stand so close to them.

She floated out of the bush slowly, hovering about a foot off the ground. She looked uncomfortable at being completely exposed. But still, Munna floated forward nevertheless, stopping a safe distance from Thrin. It looked like Munna was sizing the girl up, trying to determine if she was a threat.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Thrin repeated, keeping her voice soft. "I'm nice, okay? There's no need to be shy."

Munna edged closer to the girl. Then a little closer. Volan and Bianca stood quietly on the sidelines (Bianca only semi-quietly as she gushed over Munna's adorableness), while Thrin kept up the friendly and unthreatening expression.

Finally, Munna got close enough to the younger Gurei to reach out and poke her with a stubby forelimb. Thrin smiled kindly and didn't move, waiting to see what Munna would do.

No one expected Munna to do what she did next – she opened her mouth and inhaled deeply, drawing some kind of pink energy from Thrin's head. The girl's expression shifted to one of incomprehension, with a little bit of nervousness mixed in. _What is she doing to me?_ she wondered.

When Munna stopped inhaling, a large puff of pink-colored mist popped out from the magenta circle on its forehead. To the fascination of the three Trainers, the mist shifted to form a ring. Inside of the ring, they could see Oliver leaping into Thrin's arms and nuzzling her happily. Then, the mist faded.

"What in Arceus' name?" Volan murmured, staring at the spot where the mist had been. Thrin looked dazed as she did the same thing. She murmured something under her breath, to which Volan replied, "Pardon me?"

"I said," she said, more loudly as she turned to face her brother, "that it's almost as if Munna read my mind and projected it. That was my memory of when Oliver and I met."

Volan looked amazed, regarding Munna with a new respect. It looked as if that memory had convinced the Psychic-type that Thrin was a good person, because she floated forward and bumped her head against the girl's affectionately.

"Muuuuun!" she said happily, swaying back and forth in the air.

Bianca squealed. "It's sooooooo cuuuuuuute!" she cried, reaching forward and grabbing Munna out of the air to hug it. The Dream Eater Pokemon squirmed in Bianca's arms before unleashing a Psywave attack. When Bianca let go in shock, Munna ran away deeper into the Dreamyard.

"Nice going, Bianca," Volan snapped. "You scared her off."

Thrin stood back up and brushed a lock of hair out of her face. "Let's go find her again. I'm starting to wonder if I should catch her," she said with a slight smile.

Volan smiled back and gestured to a guilty-looking Bianca. The three of them then ran off in the direction Munna had fled in.

Finally, they found Munna inside the ruins. The room they were in was overgrown with weeds and vines, with a ceiling in which cracks allowed sunlight to filter through. The pink Pokemon was floating around haphazardly, clearly frightened.

But just before Thrin could walk forward to call out to Munna, there was a sudden shout from another part of the ruins. "There it is! There's a Munna!"

Turning the corner were none other than a couple of Team Plasma grunts. They completely ignored the three Trainers standing on the other side of the room, so focused were they on Munna. The little Psychic-type froze in fear at their sudden appearance.

"Told you we'd find one eventually," the female grunt said.

Her companion nodded and replied, "Yes, and with the Dream Mist it produces, we can liberate all the Pokemon in Unova!"

Volan and the girls were utterly shocked and appalled at what happened next – the Grunts started kicking the Munna ferociously. It cried out in pain, but they didn't stop.

"Come on, make that Dream Mist already!" the girl grunt growled. Munna squeaked and let out a pathetic puff of mist from its mouth.

"More than that!" yelled Tough Girl, landing another fierce blow to Munna's side. The poor pink tapir hit the ground and whimpered, trying to protect itself with Defense Curl.

"We can't just stand here and do nothing while Munna suffers!" cried Bianca, a terrible scowl distorting her features. Volan nodded, inwardly seething at the sight of the Plasmas bullying Munna.

In that moment, the three Trainers rushed forward, hands reaching for their Poke Balls. "Oliver, drive those Plasmas away with Ember!" Thrin shouted, hurling Oliver's Poke Ball.

The Tepig appeared in a flash and instantly launched a series of sizzling projectiles that crashed around the Plasmas. The grunts looked up, startled, as Munna tried to limp to Thrin's side. "Mun!" it cried as its stubby legs gave out and it slumped to the ground.

"No, get back here, Munna!" Tough Girl's companion yelled. He scowled at Thrin and threatened, "You'll pay for getting in the way of Pokemon Liberation!"

Volan stepped forward and shot back, "This isn't freeing Pokemon from cruel Trainers, this is bullying!"

The anger in his voice surprised even him, enough to make a rampaging Hydreigon whimper and flee with its tail between its legs. _I hate bullies,_ Volan seethed, reaching for Grunge's Poke Ball.

"Let Munna go right now!" Bianca screamed. "Let her go or I'll sic Lillipup on you!"

The Puppy Pokemon instantly leapt to stand beside Oliver, its playful demeanor completely gone and replaced with a threatening snarl.

"If it's a Pokemon battle you want, then we'll crush you in the name of Pokemon Liberation! Go, Timburr!" shouted Tough Girl, tossing a Poke Ball.

Its inhabitant was revealed to be a short, muscular Pokemon that carried a big piece of lumber. "Timburr tim!" it said, planting its lumber on the ground beside it.

The normal Volan would have scanned it, but he wasn't his usual calm, collected self. Normally, he'd simply give these Plasmas the cold shoulder, but the fire of rage burned inside of him, spreading further out of control with every second that passed.

"Show no mercy, Grunge!" he roared, releasing his powerhouse. Grunge emerged with his signature gurgling bellow, pounding his chest like a Darmanitan.

"Ooh, I never knew Volan had a Garbodor!" Bianca gushed, eyes sparkling at the sight of the powerful and rare Pokemon.

The two Plasmas' eyes grew wide. "It's him!" Tough Girl cried, clearly having heard from the five grunts Volan and Thrin had decimated yesterday.

"Stop him and" – her companion started, but he didn't get a chance to finish.

"Ready to beat down some more Plasmas?" Volan asked his Poison-type, who responded with an angry roar. "Gar-BODOR!"

"That's the spirit! Use Pound!" ordered Volan.

Grunge charged at Timburr, swinging his right arm back. Clenching his "fingers", the Garbodor swung again in the other direction. His fist flew toward Timburr's face.

"Block it!" Tough Girl shouted. Timburr smirked and hefted his lumber, swatting Grunge's fist away. "Now use Low Kick!"

"Burr!" shouted Timburr, lashing out with his log. It hit Grunge in the foot, knocking him over. But the Garbodor just got back up and stood strong once more, barely fazed.

"Lillipup, Fire Fang!" Bianca cried. The Puppy Pokemon pounced on Timburr and seized his log in her flaming jaws, determinedly chewing on it. The wood rapidly caught fire, and Timburr frantically juggled it in his hands, panicking at the sight of the flames.

"No fair!" protested the male grunt. "Zubat, attack with Leech Life!"

He tossed his own Poke Ball, and a small blue Flying-type appeared, hovering in the air with clumsy beats of its wings. "Chat, chkat!" it clicked, swooping down on Lillipup. But as it got close, Timburr accidentally swatted it away with the burning log.

"Hey, that gives me an idea!" Tough Girl said with a new brightness in her eyes. "Timburr, shake Lillipup away and attack the big one with Pound!"

"Timburr!" he replied, successfully getting Bianca's Pokemon off of his precious log. No longer afraid of the flames, Timburr jumped high into the air and brought the fiery lumber down upon Grunge's head.

"GARBO!" he howled, grabbing his aching head. Volan gritted his teeth and angrily spat, "Grab that log and throw Timburr into Zubat!"

Shaking his head to dispel his headache, Grunge stomped toward a frightened Timburr and grabbed his log. Unwilling to part with it, Timburr was lifted into the air as well.

"Gar, Garbodor!" Grunge bellowed, rearing back and taking aim. He threw Timburr and his burning lumber with all of his strength, sending them sailing through the air directly toward Zubat.

"Chkat?!" the Bat Pokemon squeaked just before the Fighting-type landed on top of it, knocking out the both of them.

The two Plasmas were horrified that they had lost so easily. "Plasmaaaaaa!" Tough Girl cried. "We must obtain that Dream Mist!" She started to advance on the terrified Munna, who had crawled closer to Thrin during the battle.

Tough Girl was almost upon it when Grunge blocked her with a stomp of his feet. "Odor!" he gurgled, waving his tufts in an intimidating manner. The female Grunt tried to push past him, but he shoved her away with a growl. Like Volan, Grunge had no mercy in store for bullies.

But suddenly, a voice cut through the tense atmosphere. The voice was calm and unconcerned, seeming to almost relieve the tension right then and there. "What's going on in here?" it asked, causing everyone to turn around.

The man that Volan and Thrin recognized as Ghetsis stepped out from the corridor that they had previously come through. Although he had entered with a smile on his face, it turned into a frown as he observed the room. His eye uncovered by the red patch flicked from one thing to another, taking in the fallen Pokemon, the injured Munna, and his two Grunts.

"Is there a problem here?" he asked calmly, his frown deepening slightly.

-.-.-.-.-.

**I hope Zubat's voice was accurate. I tried mimicking what it says in the anime, but damn is it hard.**

**And thus, Ghetsis appears once more! But is he an illusion like in the game? Or the real deal? If so, will Volan and Thrin be able to stand against him face-to-face?**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out what happens next!**

**Ghetsis: "Review, if you will." *smiles and bows***

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**


	11. Deep Thoughts and Unexpected Rescues

_**Chapter 10 - Deep Thoughts and Unexpected Rescues**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**The mysterious Plasma King sent two of his grunts to Striaton City to find Volan as well as a substance called Dream Mist. Meanwhile, Volan, Thrin, and Bianca found out that the Striaton Gym was closed for renovations, and decided to train in the Dreamyard. But before they could, they came across a Munna that took a liking to Thrin. Upon following it, the three friends encountered the two Plasma grunts bullying it for its Dream Mist. Volan grew angry and unleashed Grunge upon their Zubat and Timburr, easily defeating them. Then the man named Ghetsis appeared, and he didn't seem pleased…**

-.-.-.-.-.

"Is there a problem here?"

Subdued at the sight of the unpleasantly familiar man, Volan's anger ebbed away. Thrin and Bianca both stared in bewilderment. The two grunts looked relieved and frightened at the same time. Oliver, Lillipup, Bernice, and Grunge were all distasteful.

"Dove dove, Pidooove. _It's the man that spoke of Pokemon Liberation in Accumula Town,_" Bernice cooed.

Oliver shivered and nodded at her words, remembering the man as well. "Tepig? Pig, Tepig. _What's his name again? Maybe Gilbert or Garry, or something like that._"

"Gar, garbo! Odor Garbodor!" Grunge growled. "_It's Ghetsis! He's the person who persuaded my Trainer to abandon me!_"

At these words, Lillipup became frightened. "Pup, pup? _What if he gets Mistress Bianca to get rid of me?_" she whimpered.

Completely oblivious to the chatter of the Pokemon, Ghetsis stepped into the ruin, a regal presence even when not surrounded by his Plasmas. His exposed eye seemed to take in everything. He was calm and didn't sound angry, instead seemingly bewildered at the sight of his lackeys and the Trainers fighting.

Everything was silent as Ghetsis advanced farther into the room, finally coming to a stop in the middle of the battlefield. At the sight of the injured Munna cowering on the floor, his mouth tightened. Volan wasn't sure whether or not he was concerned or upset, or something else entirely.

Finally, Ghetsis spoke. "Did you get the Dream Mist I requested from you?" he asked the two grunts, turning himself so that he faced them. Immediately, they recalled their fainted Pokemon and rearranged their faces so that they showed no emotion, bowing as they did so.

"Lord Ghetsis of the Seven Sages," Tough Girl – the one who had instigated the battle – intoned. "We indeed found this Munna and tried to get some of its Dream Mist, but these three brats stood in our way. They defeated us soundly when we tried to use force. We stood no chance."

The green-haired man turned to the Trainers in question. Volan was surprised to find that he looked almost impressed. "Really?" Ghetsis said curiously. The Gurei boy was confused as to who he was talking to – was it his grunts still, or them?

Nevertheless, Ghetsis was looking straight at him, so he felt obligated to speak. Keeping his voice as steady as possible, he took a deep breath and replied to the man's question.

"Yes, we did defeat them," Volan said. "But we didn't do it just for the sake of interfering. They were beating that Munna to get that Dream Mist. We couldn't just stand there and let it suffer."

Behind him, Thrin and Bianca nodded fiercely in agreement.

"I see," was Ghetsis' only reply. His frown deepened slightly.

"A-Are you angry with us, sir?" asked Bianca tremulously, nervous of what Ghetsis might do to them for attacking his minions.

These words caused Ghetsis to break out in a calm smile. "Not at all, miss," he said politely. "On the contrary, I am quite glad that you Trainers put a stop to this… less than admirable act."

The two grunts gulped in the background.

Ghetsis stepped forward and peered at Volan. "I recognize you from Accumula Town," he said in recognition. Bernice bristled and clamped her talons tighter on Volan's shoulder.

Volan just nodded, unsure of what to think. "You're the leader of Team Plasma, right?" he asked uncertainly. "Why aren't you upset that we beat your lackeys?"

The man only shook his head and smiled again. "Mister Gurei, Team Plasma wishes to separate Pokemon from those who are cruel to Pokemon. Seeing two of my underlings commit an act that violates such a wish is something I do not wish to see again. Therefore, I thank you for helping this poor Pokemon." He gestured to the Munna, who only whimpered and curled up defensively.

Volan could only stare at the man. _Is he telling the truth?_ he wondered, subconsciously asking the mysterious voice in his head for the answer. Although the voice never spoke up, the world turned monochromatic for only an instant.

Ghetsis paused at the sight of the boy's eyes. A white shadow had flitted across those orbs, hadn't it? But that could only mean…

"I will be taking my leave now," Ghetsis said, hiding his surprise well. "And rest assured, these two perpetrators will be punished for such offensive behavior." He motioned for the two grunts to come with him, and they both exchanged terrified glances.

The two Plasmas shuffled out of the ruin, with Ghetsis close behind. The Team Plasma leader paused and turned partially around. "And I'd recommend taking that little one to the Pokemon Center," he advised. With a final wave farewell, he disappeared along with his minions.

Questions whirled in Volan's mind, but one repeated itself, loudly and endlessly.

_How did Ghetsis know my name?_

-.-.-.-.-.

Back in the Pokemon Center, some hours later, Volan lay awake in his bed even as the sun outside began to sink below the horizon. The events of the day were preventing him from getting any sleep, as the memories chased themselves around and around his head.

First and foremost, he was worried about the Munna. Thrin had carried it to the Pokemon Center with Oliver following behind concernedly. It was good to see that the Tepig was worried about his fellow Pokemon, even if it was from the wild and hadn't been domesticated… yet.

That reminded him of what Ghetsis had said. Team Plasma wanted to separate Pokemon from cruel people. _Was Ghetsis telling the truth?_

And when the world had turned monochrome like that, the man had paused and looked at him oddly for a brief instant. What was with that? Was it not just him, and could other people see the world changing color like that?

Volan shook his head to clear that thought – he was getting off topic. His original idea was that Team Plasma wanted to rescue Pokemon from those who were cruel to them. That did sound nice, but it brought some questions with it.

_How can the Plasmas possibly separate the good from the bad people?_ Volan asked himself. _It's a big region, after all. No, they must have some other goal in mind._

His mind wandered back to the Munna. Thrin was watching over it even as Nurse Joy checked it over and healed its wounds, most likely falling asleep in the process.

At one point, Volan had offered to carry it. When his sister had allowed him to cradle the poor Psychic-type in his arms, it had woken up drowsily and looked up at him. He could see the confusion in its eyes as it wondered who he was.

Then Munna had done that inhaling thing to him, the same one where it had projected a memory from Thrin's mind. In the mist that emanated from Munna's forehead, Volan saw with a jolt a younger version of himself, picking up Bernice and sobbing.

He knew instantly what the memory was about. It was that fateful day. Bianca had seen it too, and she had looked at him questioningly until he had given her his iciest look. There were only three other beings that knew about that day – Thrin, Bernice, and…

_Caitlin._

Volan forced himself not to think of the girl, and he immediately wondered why. Was it because the thought of her possibly moving on and forgetting him was too much to bear? Was he scared of meeting up with her again one day, only to find that she had no recollection of that fateful day?

One thing was for certain – as much as Volan didn't want to think of Caitlin, he still wanted more than anything to see her again someday. Another thing that he found odd was that he always blushed faintly and turned to face a different direction whenever he remembered her, as if she was right there and he was too embarrassed to look at her.

_What's with that?_

Finally, Volan fell into a troubled sleep. His dreams were filled with uncertainty. In the labyrinth of his nightmares lurked a one-eyed, cloaked man, Plasma grunts, injured Pokemon, and a certain blonde watching him from the corner of his eye…

-.-.-.-.-.

Morning was a relief. As a bonus, Volan wasn't woken up by Bianca this time.

On second thought, Volan decided he preferred Bianca over Grunge's morning breath.

"Yuck…" Volan muttered, sitting up in bed and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He put on his glasses and stared balefully at the grinning behemoth standing over him. "You're sleeping in your Poke Ball from now on," the boy growled, much to Grunge's amusement.

Getting dressed quickly, Volan packed up his things and walked out the door, after calling Grunge back into his Poke Ball and letting Bernice perch on his shoulder as usual. They reached the lobby soon enough, where, as predicted, Thrin was sleeping on one of the lounge chairs.

Volan gently nudged his sister, trying to shake her from sleep. Then he tried again when she didn't wake up, a little harder this time. She still didn't awaken, so Volan decided to try one last time.

"I DIDN'T DO IT!" she screamed, bolting awake. Then she became more aware of her surroundings as she squinted up at her brother. "Oh, it's just you," she sighed in relief, stretching out her arms and yawning deeply.

"You were dreaming of the Jelly Bean Incident, weren't you?" Volan teased as he helped her up off of the lounge chair.

She swatted him upside the head before bending down to pick up her bag. "Temporary insanity, that's all it was!" she objected, slinging her backpack over her shoulders.

There was a sudden *ding* noise, and the doors to the examination room opened to reveal Nurse Joy and Audino walking out. A tray was being wheeled in front of Audino, upon which perched a wide-awake Munna, looking as if she had never encountered those Plasmas.

"Muuun muuun!" she hummed delightedly, jumping off of the tray and floating to meet Thrin. The Gurei girl laughed and was forced back onto the couch as Munna happily tackled her, suffocating her with love and gratitude.

Nurse Joy giggled and said, "I'm happy to report that this Munna has made a full recovery! She's perfectly able to take care of herself in the Dreamyard now. And here is your other Pokemon," she added, handing Thrin the Poke Ball that contained Oliver.

The girl managed to get her arm out from underneath Munna and take Oliver's Poke Ball. "Thanks, Nurse Joy," she grunted, finally managing to sit up, as Munna moved onto her lap submissively.

"I'm happy to help! Good luck on your Pokemon journeys, both of you!" Nurse Joy beamed at them, and then walked away with Audino.

"It's good to see that you're all better now," Volan said to Munna, sitting beside his sister and giving the Psychic-type a friendly pat on the head. "Now, should we take you back to the Dreamyard where you belong?"

It seemed to Volan as if Munna sagged at those words.

"Hang on, Volan," Thrin said. She looked down at Munna and asked softly, "I was wondering, do you want to travel with me and my brother as my Pokemon?"

Munna stared up at the girl, startled at her proposition. Thrin continued, "If you don't want to come with us, then you can just go back to the Dreamyard. But if you do want to come with us, then I'd be happy to give you a place of your own. You could become part of our little family. What do you say?"

"Mun mun, Munna! _Yes, yes please!_" the pink tapir-like Pokemon cried, leaping up on Thrin and nuzzling her gratefully. Thrin and Volan both laughed as Munna continued giving short little cries of happiness, ecstatic over getting to stay with these nice humans.

"Alright then, if you say so," Thrin said, still laughing. She suddenly stopped, thinking of something. "You need a name, don't you?" she asked, mostly to herself. Munna stopped as well and regarded her new Trainer curiously.

"I know," Thrin said, snapping her fingers. "I'll call you Luna! How does that sound?"

The newly christened Luna looked a little confused, but soon brightened and chirped happily. "Mun mun!"

Thrin pulled out a Poke Ball and offered it to Luna. "Welcome to the group," she said with a smile.

Luna smiled back and bumped the Poke Ball with her forehead. The capsule opened and sucked her in, before closing up and wobbling for a second. It stayed still after that, signaling that Luna had been successfully caught.

"Helloooooo~!" a voice sang, and Volan and Thrin looked up to see Bianca skipping toward them.

"Morning, you two~!" greeted Bianca, clearly ready to roll this morning. "How's our little Munna doing?"

Thrin laughed out loud and held up Luna's Poke Ball. "I caught her! She's part of my team now!"

"Awwww, lucky!" Bianca pouted. "I was just thinking that I wanted to catch Munna!" But she brightened immediately and said, "Oh well, I can just catch another in the Dreamyard later! So, how about we get breakfast and then head over to the Gym?"

The blonde began dragging Volan and Thrin over to the cafeteria without waiting for an answer. The siblings exchanged an exasperated glance before shaking themselves free of Bianca's grasp and walking freely along behind her.

But then, an unexpected voice spoke up from directly behind them. "Excuse me, did I hear you say something about catching a Munna?"

The three Trainers immediately spun around to meet the eyes of a woman with sleek black hair and a white lab coat over her regular clothes. "Yes…?" Thrin confirmed cautiously.

The woman clapped her hands together delightedly and said, "Oh, that's wonderful! Might I see it?"

Still a little hesitant, Thrin took out her Poke Ball and opened it. Luna popped out in a flash of blue light and gave a happy little chirp.

"Oh, look at it!" the woman enthused, bending down to be on eye level with the Psychic-type. "I've never managed to look at one up close! Oh, I'm so jealous of you! I've been trying for ages to catch one, but with no luck!"

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Volan asked her, somewhat coldly. The woman started and stood back up.

"My name's Fennel," she said, giving them a friendly wave. "I'm an old friend of Professor Juniper. I've been working on a machine that's able to scan the minds of Pokemon, but I need Dream Mist for a Munna to help it work. Do you mind if I collect some Dream Mist from your Munna?"

All of this was said so fast that Thrin barely caught the question. Volan was still a little wary. Bianca somehow managed to follow Fennel's rapid speech (maybe because they operated on the same wavelength – not to mention frequency).

"Um, sure. As long as Luna doesn't mind," Thrin said with a nod.

Fennel clapped her hands together again and said, "Splendid! Now, wait just a second…" She dug around in her pockets and pulled out a small glass jar, like the kind you'd put jam in.

"Hello there," Fennel cooed to Luna as she bent down once more to stare into her eyes. Luna just stared back, bewildered, as Fennel gave her a big, friendly smile.

Everyone present waited for Luna to do something.

It took what seemed like forever, but Luna finally did that inhaling thing and absorbed a memory from Fennel's mind. Then in a big puff of pink mist, she expelled the memory from her forehead. In the mist, a five-year-old Fennel could be seen playing in a sandbox with a brown-haired girl, which Volan guessed to be Professor Juniper.

"I miss those days," Fennel sighed as she opened the jar. She quickly scooped up as much Dream Mist as she could before it evaporated.

"Thanks so much!" Fennel beamed, patting Luna on the head and then shaking Thrin's hand. "This will be a huge help for my research! Bye now!"

The woman then dashed out of the Pokemon Center just like that.

"Wow, she reminds me of Bianca," Thrin commented, and Bianca herself took the remark in stride. The younger Gurei then called Luna back into her Poke Ball, saying, "I'm sure you were a big help."

Through the Poke Ball's transparent bottom, Luna could be seen floating around merrily in circles.

Volan turned to Bernice, who had remained silent the entire time they had been in the lobby. "Breakfast?" he asked her, to which she cooed hungrily and nodded enthusiastically.

"That settles it then!" Bianca cheered. "First we eat, then it's Gym time!"

-.-.-.-.-.

**Volan begins to suspect Team Plasma's true motives and realize his true feelings for the girl haunting his past. Meanwhile, in the real world, there's a Gym battle to get to! We'll be covering that next chapter.**

**Also, Thrin has finally gotten herself a new partner – Luna the Munna – tying her with her brother and Bianca for a total of two Pokemon each.**

**Check back soon for Volan's first Gym Battle!**

**Luna: "Mun mun! ****_For my new mistress, please review!_****"**

**Chapter Question #1**** (please answer these!): Who is your favorite of the Unovan Gym Leaders?**

**Mine would have to be Roxie, followed by Clay and Burgh.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn**


	12. Volan and Bianca vs Gym Duo

_**Chapter 11 - Volan and Bianca vs Gym Duo**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan and Thrin talked with Ghetsis, the leader of Team Plasma, and explained what had been going on between them and his grunts. He took it surprisingly well, congratulating the Trainers for defending the helpless Munna, and recommended that they took it to the Pokemon Center. After a restless night, during which Volan wondered about all the mysteries going on in his life, Nurse Joy visited him and his sister in the lobby and said that Munna had made a full recovery. Thrin captured it and named it Luna, and after allowing a scientist named Fennel to retrieve its Dream Mist, they joined Bianca and planned to tackle the Striaton Gym!**

-.-.-.-.-.

"So this is the Striaton Gym?" asked Bianca, gazing up at the building they stood before. "According to the map, yes," Thrin said, checking the digital town map she had brought with her.

The three Trainers now stood in front of the Striaton Gym, a large, older-looking building with a series of tall steps leading up to it. The symbol of the Unova League was emblazoned just above the wide double doors, making it hard to miss.

"Do we just go in, or do we have to knock first?" Volan asked – he could be icy, but at least he tried to be polite. Bernice cooed in agreement.

"Duh! We just go in!" Bianca said excitedly, dashing up the stairs and giggling like a lunatic.

"Someone's excited…" Thrin muttered to herself, as she and her brother slowly followed.

When they opened the doors, Clyde was there to greet them. "Hey!" he said when he recognized them. "You here for the Gym challenge then?"

He got nods all around, but Bianca looked befuddled. "Why else would we be here?" she pointed out. "This _is_ a Gym, right?"

Clyde chuckled. "It is, but it also serves as a five-star restaurant!" he replied, ushering them inside. The two Gureis gaped while Bianca looked around wildly, eyes wide and sparkling.

_He wasn't kidding, _Volan thought to himself numbly. He had never seen a Unova League Gym in person before, but the interior of this building was something he wouldn't have imagined in his lifetime – or even two of his lifetimes. It was everything you would expect from a restaurant, that is calm, quiet, and with a soothing atmosphere. Tables were set up all over, identical right down to the positions of the eating utensils and salt shakers. It was deserted, and the thick silence seemed to physically press down on them. Volan could have cut it with a knife, the air was so dense.

"Follow me, kids," Clyde said cheerfully, leading them down the aisles. Their footsteps made no noise on the plush carpet.

"I can't believe Pokemon battles take place here," Thrin whispered, but in the silence, everyone heard.

At the back of the restaurant was a curtain. Volan had assumed the red, blue, and green-striped cloth was for simple decoration, but when Clyde pulled on the rope dangling next to it, it slid apart to reveal an elaborate wooden door. "After you," he grinned, pushing Volan forward and earning himself a slight glare from the boy for his troubles.

When they entered, Volan found himself reconsidering the Gym's style. There in front of him was a traditional Unova League battlefield, with the white edges and Poke Ball-shaped center. There was a window set into the high ceiling that allowed sunlight to stream in and play across the field, which was decorated with a dirt floor and the occasional rock.

"Now this is a Gym!" Bianca squealed, eagerly taking everything in. Clyde chuckled even as he walked them over to the opposite wall. There, two young men were having a casual conversation amongst themselves. Volan gave them the once-over.

Both wore identical waiter-like uniforms, with black suits and white aprons. The one on the left was talking animatedly, in a posture that suggested that he could hardly sit still, with his feet planted far apart and his fists held up. He also had a huge tuft of flaming red hair.

The one on the right, seemingly older than the other, held himself with a much more composed air, with his feet pressing together and one arm held behind his back. As the other talked, he would nod occasionally, lifting a finger politely when he wanted to interrupt. He had bright blue, wavy hair that covered one eye.

"Chili, Cress!" shouted Clyde, and they both looked over in bewilderment. When they saw Volan, Thrin, and Bianca, though, they changed their expressions to ones of barely contained excitement and inviting warmth, respectively.

"Greetings, and many great hellos," the blue-haired one said formally, bowing and wearing a small smile. "My name is Cress. I am the elder brother of the three Striaton Gym leaders."

"And I'm Chili!" exclaimed the other, pumping his fist. "I'm the youngest – and most powerful – of us three brothers!"

Cress sighed as if he had gone through this before. "Please, Chili, do not flatter yourself. I am the strongest."

Chili looked shocked that his older brother had even suggested such a thing. "Are you kidding me? I'm ten times stronger than you are!"

"Then how come I was the only one that managed to defeat our last challenger, and with a type disadvantage to boot?" Cress asked rhetorically, looking smug. Chili visibly deflated at those words.

Thrin raised a hand. "Um," she said, prompting the two Gym Leaders to stop arguing and look over at her. "Pardon me, but you said there were three of you. Where's the third brother?"

At these words, both Chili and Cress frowned noticeably. "Ah," Cress said. "That. Well, he… isn't available at this present moment. Or any moments in the near future, in fact."

"That's an understatement!" Chili shouted, startling everyone. "Cilan went off on some journey with the Trainers who just challenged us! He didn't give us any notice whatsoever! I'M SO MAD!" Indeed, his fiery hair almost looked like it was up in flames.

"Chili, please," Cress sighed. "He gave us almost twenty-four hours' notice." He paused, noting that his brother didn't seem calmed down in the least, and continued, "But indeed you have a point. Cilan should know better than to leave the Gym without making proper arrangements."

Volan's left eyebrow was slowly traveling farther and farther up his brow. "What difference does it make if you're missing a Gym leader?" he asked. "I'm pretty sure that all the other Gyms only have one leader."

Cress turned to the Gurei boy with an even more noticeable frown. "The Striaton Gym exists to test the skills of new Trainers," he explained. "To do that, there must be three of us, one for each of the basic elements – Grass, Water, and Fire – in order to combat rookie Trainers' Starters. Without Cilan and his Pansage, we're completely defenseless against Water-types!"

Now Volan understood. "That is a problem," he admitted. But then he straightened and pointed out, "But you don't have to worry in this case. We don't have any Water-types. We have Pidove" – he gestured to Bernice, who puffed out her chest – "Tepig, and Snivy."

Chili brightened again. "Awesome! We caught a lucky break, brother!" he cheered, punching Cress' shoulder.

The blue-haired man winced and rubbed the spot where he had been hit. "It appears so," he replied after a moment.

"Then let's battle!" Bianca said impatiently, hopping up and down.

"That's the spirit!" Chili said, bumping his fist with hers. "Now, do all three of you want to take the Gym challenge?"

The three Trainers looked at each other for a while. Finally, Thrin took a step back and said, "You two go. I'm not really that interested in challenging Gyms anyway."

Bianca gaped. "But you're a Trainer!" she objected. "Don't you want to enter the Unova League?"

Thrin only shrugged and replied, "Guess not."

Volan interrupted before Bianca could protest further. "Hey, just let her make her own decisions, alright?" he suggested. "We still get to battle, after all."

The blonde nodded fiercely and suddenly looked determined. It was clear to Volan that she was serious about the upcoming challenge. "So who's going first?" she asked.

It was then that Clyde spoke up. "Why not have a Double Battle?" he suggested. "You two kids against the Gym leaders?"

Cress smiled. "An excellent suggestion," he said. "What do you think, Chili?"

His brother grinned. "This is going to be AWESOME!" he enthused. "I haven't had this much fun since the day Cilan poured that extra sugar in my coffee!" He fist-pumped again while Cress blanched at the memory.

Volan tried to imagine what had happened, but shuddered and forced the mental image from his head.

-.-.-.-.-.

The battle soon got underway. The two Striaton Gym leaders took their positions on one side of the battlefield, while Volan and Bianca faced them on the opposite side. Clyde was acting as the referee, and Thrin sat cross-legged on the floor next to him.

"The battle between the Gym leaders, Chili and Cress, and the challengers, Volan and Bianca, will now get underway!" Clyde informed them. "Each Trainer is permitted to use one Pokemon, and since this is a Double Battle, the battle will be over when both of the opposing teams' Pokemon are unable to continue battling. Now, choose your Pokemon!"

"Bernice, I'm counting on you again," Volan told his Pidove, and she trilled affirmatively. She flew out onto the battlefield while Bianca called out her Snivy. The two Starters stood side-by-side, ready to fight.

"Now for our awesome Pokemon!" Chili cried, whipping a Poke Ball out of his pocket and into the air. A small, red monkey-like creature appeared, hopping around excitedly and generally acting just like its Trainer.

Cress calmly selected his Pokemon and tossed its Poke Ball into the air, releasing it. The Pokemon that appeared was similar to Chili's monkey-like partner, only it was blue and had its eyes shut. It also seemed to be much more composed.

Both Volan and Bianca took out their Pokedexes and scanned the duo. "**Pansear, the High Temp Pokemon,**" Bianca's said when she scanned the red monkey. "**When it is angered, the tuft on its head reaches temperatures of 600 degrees Fahrenheit. It roasts Berries that grow near caves in volcanoes. This Pansear is male, with the Gluttony ability, and knows Lick, Incinerate, and Fury Swipes.**"

Volan's Pokedex scanned the blue monkey. "**Panpour, the Spray Pokemon. The water stored in its head tuft is full of nutrients and helps plants grow large. It spouts this water from its tail to keep itself damp in dry environments. This specimen is female and has the Gluttony ability. Her attacks are Leer, Fury Swipes, and Water Gun.**"

"So, a Fire-type and a Water-type," Volan mused, wondering how best to combat the Gym leaders' combination.

"Oh, I know! Snivy and I will go for Panpour, because she's weak against Grass-types!" Bianca said, pleased that she came up with that idea.

Volan shook his head and replied, "Remember that Pansear's a Fire-type too. Chili and Cress are probably expecting you to go for Panpour and avoid Pansear, so they'll use that to their advantage."

But before Bianca could reply, Clyde swept his hand down and called, "And now that the four Trainers have chosen their Pokemon, let the battle commence!"

Instantly, Bianca decided to open up strong. "Snivy, use Vine Whip on Panpour!" she cried.

"Sny!" the Grass-type replied, extending two vines from her hood. "Sny! Snivy!" she said forcefully, lashing the vines at Panpour.

"Guard Panpour, Pansear!" Chili said, and the Fire-type leapt between Panpour and Snivy. The Grass Snake's vines lashed Pansear, but they hardly did any damage.

"Quickly, Bernice!" Volan cried. "Get them both with Air Cutter while they're close!" The Pidove then flapped her wings strongly, sending blades of air at the two monkeys. They were unable to dodge as the wind smashed into them. Both Pansear and Panpour hit the ground painfully.

"Excellent work!" Cress complimented them. "But it will do you no good, I'm afraid. We will still win this! Panpour, Water Gun!"

"Pan pan! Panpoouuur!" the Spray Pokemon screeched as its mouth foamed with water. She then spurted a powerful jet of water that arced through the air at Bernice.

"Hey, I have an idea!" Bianca cried delightedly. "Snivy, block the Water Gun from reaching Bernice!"

Snivy silently approved of her normally air-headed Trainer's plan. "Snivy," she said, using her Vine Whip to launch herself into the air. The Water Gun hit painfully, but Snivy looked completely refreshed when the water faded.

"Aim for the spot where it lands, Pansear, and use Incinerate!" Chili yelled, fist pumping again. "Sear!" replied the simian, breathing a blast of fire at the ground just below Snivy.

Unable to get out of the way, Snivy landed right in the midst of the flames. The poor serpent was flung out from the fire, badly charred and shuddering with pain when she hit the ground.

"Now with Snivy out of the way, use Water Gun on the Pidove!" said Cress, smugly. Panpour fired another water jet that hit Bernice, soaking her feathers and making her too heavy to fly. She was effectively knocked out of the air.

Volan was stricken as he saw his friend plummet into the dirt. "Can you get up, Bernice?" he called worriedly.

The Pidove was definitely stronger than she looked. She hopped to her feet, shaking the water out of her feathers furiously. "Dove, Pidoooove!" she warbled confidently.

"Good to see you can still fight," Volan said, relieved. "Now, get up close to Pansear with your Quick Attack!"

"Pi-Pidooove!" trilled Bernice, absorbing white light into her and blasting it out from behind as she streaked toward the Fire-type.

"That is certainly one stubborn bird!" Chili remarked. "Pansear, when it gets close enough, use your Fury Swipes!"

Pansear's hands glowed white as she readied a Fury Swipes attack. Bernice steadily got closer, closing the distance between them rapidly. "Watch out for its attack!" Volan cautioned, and Bernice made a mental note to do just that.

Thus, when Bernice pulled up in front of Pansear, the latter's Fury Swipes swiped at thin air. Frustrated, Panpour lunged at Bernice, ferociously slashing again and again. But the Normal-and-Flying-type was quicker, deftly dodging each one of his swipes.

Finally, Pansear stopped, the glow on his hands fading as he slumped exhaustedly. "Now, Bernice, let's use our trump card! Hypnosis!" Volan yelled triumphantly.

Chili grew horrified as the pigeon swooped right in front of Pansear and expelled a triangle of blue orbs. Fascinated, Pansear followed their erratic movement as they whirled around Bernice's body. When they faded, Pansear crumpled to the ground, fast asleep.

"No!" Cress wailed, horrified that his partner was defenseless. "But we should take advantage of this, Panpour! While Bernice is occupied, give Snivy a Fury Swipes!"

"Pour pour! _Here it comes!_" cried Panpour, running across the battlefield at Snivy.

Bianca looked more determined than Volan had ever seen her, a far cry from the klutzy ditz that he had first met. "Snivy dear, block them all with your Iron Tail!" she cheered.

"Snivy sny. _This'll be easy,_" Snivy remarked as her tail took on a metallic luster. Just as Panpour reached her with hands glowing white, she swung her tail with deadly force, clashing with the Water-type's swipe. Each time, Snivy made an elegant twirl to effortlessly block the flurry of Fury Swipes.

"Impeccable defenses," Cress commented. "Panpour, jump back and hit with Water Gun!"

Panpour leapt away from Snivy's next swing and prepared a Water Gun. But just as she reared her head back to blast Snivy, Volan smirked and shouted, "Bernice, grab Pansear, use Quick Attack, and get in Water Gun's path!"

"Dooooove!" Bernice shrieked, grabbing the unconscious Pansear's tail in her talons and flew toward Snivy with Quick Attack. She reached her ally just as Panpour released the Water Gun, even as Cress shouted at his Pokemon to stop. Chili screamed for Pansear to wake up, to no avail.

Bernice positioned the snoring monkey so that her talons were wrapped around his waist and held him up in front of her. The Water Gun smashed into the Fire-type, waking him up instantly and causing him to instinctively struggle. But Bernice held her grip even as the force of the water jet pushed her back.

Panpour stopped her attack, horrified that she had unwillingly hit her ally. But it was too late, as Bernice released her grip and allowed Pansear to drop to the ground. "Seeeaaar…" he moaned pitifully.

"Pansear is unable to continue battling!" Clyde announced.

Chili facepalmed, and his fiery hair slumped, as he recalled Pansear. "I'm… all burned out…" he muttered, so unlike his usual energetic self.

"All riiiiiiiight!" squealed Bianca. "Way to go, Volan! Now let's attack Panpour with Vine Whip, Snivy!"

"Sny, Snivy!" she responded, extending her vines and lashing them at Panpour.

"Fury Swipes!" commanded Cress. The vines were almost on top of Panpour when she effortlessly slapped them away with Fury Swipes. Then, she lunged once more at Snivy, this time scoring three quick blows that sent the snake sprawling.

"Finish Snivy with Water Gun!" cried the Gym Leader. As Panpour readied her attack, Snivy tried to get to her feet. She was succeeding, but at that speed, she'd never be able to dodge the oncoming attack.

"POOOOOUUUUR!" screeched Panpour as she let loose her water jet. It streaked through the air, pushing clouds of dust off of the ground as it zeroed in on the helpless Snivy.

It was then that Volan got his inspiration. "Bernice, get in there with Quick Attack and grab Snivy!"

"Doooove!" she trilled as she blazed towards her partner. An instant before Water Gun would have hit, there was a streak of white light, and then Snivy had vanished. "What is this?" Cress exclaimed, totally shocked.

It was then that everyone spotted Bernice circling the battlefield high above, with Snivy secure on her back. The Pidove shared a glance with Snivy, prompting the Grass Snake Pokemon to nod.

"Snivy sny. _I'm fine, thanks to you,_" she said.

"Dove Pidoooove. _Don't mention it,_" Bernice replied.

Volan grinned at Bianca, and it was clear that they had just gotten the same idea. "Ready?" Volan asked, already anticipating his friend's answer. "Always!" sang Bianca.

"Panpour, jump off of a rock and use Fury Swipes!" Cress ordered. His Pokemon jumped to the top of one of the larger rocks dotting the battlefield and sprang up with all of her might, fists glowing white as she readied her attack.

"Blow her away with Gust!" Volan told Bernice. Her wings glowed with azure light as she summoned a mighty wind. The sudden gale completely messed up Panpour's jump, smacking into her and blowing her back. She came in for an improvised landing on her feet.

"Vine Whip, Snivy!" cried Bianca.

"Vy!" the Grass-type said with a smirk, unleashing her vines. Bernice descended to just above the battlefield as Snivy lashed out at Panpour from her back. The first vine flung Panpour into a rock, and the second curled around her and flung her high into the air.

Volan's eyes narrowed, focusing on the helpless monkey. "Bernice, get above her and use Air Cutter!"

"Pidooooove!" cried the pigeon-like Pokemon, flying higher once more. Even as Panpour slowly stopped ascending, she got above the Water-type and flapped her wings once, sending a blade-shaped air current flying toward Panpour.

The Air Cutter smashed into Panpour, driving her downward and into the ground. A huge curtain of dust was flung into the air upon impact, which soon cleared to reveal Panpour still standing determinedly.

But Volan could tell that one more good hit would do it. "Alright, Bianca," he said to his partner. "The final blow is yours."

"Awesooooooome!" she cried. "Snivy, jump down and use Iron Tail!"

"Bernice, use Gust when she jumps!" Volan added.

Both Pokemon sprang into action. Snivy jumped off of Bernice's back and straightened her body like a green arrow, tail gleaming silver. Bernice unleashed a powerful wind that pushed Snivy down, forcing her to fall faster.

"I can't look!" Thrin, Clyde, and Cress all chorused, covering their eyes.

Finally, Bernice stopped the Gust as Snivy flipped over and delivered a devastating downward blow with her tail to Panpour's head.

Another enormous dust cloud, bigger than the last, filled the air upon impact. When it cleared, the outcome was vastly different. This time, Panpour didn't get back up.

Clyde peeked through his fingers and saw Panpour lying there while Snivy stood over her and Bernice circled from above. "Both of the Gym Leaders' Pokemon are unable to battle," he announced. "The challengers are victorious!"

"WE DID IIIIIIIIIT!" shrieked Bianca, hopping up and down ecstatically. She leapt on Volan and imprisoned him in a bone-crushing hug of celebration. His first idea was to push her off, but then he thought about it and decided to let her vent her enthusiasm.

Mercifully, Bianca let him breathe after ten seconds of "Wediditwediditwedidit!" She released her grip and did a dance on the spot while Volan sucked in a deep breath. Just in time, too, because Thrin pounced on him and threw her arms around his neck with a squeal.

"You were amazing, Volan!" his sister squealed. "You know what would be more amazing? If you won every other Gym battle this flawlessly!"

"You know what would be even more amazing than that?" the poor boy croaked. "Letting me grab a breath…"

Thrin gasped and instantly released her brother, letting him have a few seconds to get his oxygen intake back to healthy levels.

Chili and Cress walked over, the latter looking as calm as ever while the former still looked deflated. "An excellent match, my friends," Cress said, shaking Volan's and then Bianca's hand.

"Whew…" Chili sighed. "I've never… felt… so alive…"

Cress reached into his pocket and pulled out two shiny strips of metal. They were edged in gold and consisted of three multicolored triangles joined together in a line. "These are the Trio Badges," Cress informed them, holding them out in each hand. "Both of you have earned them after your stunning victory this day."

Volan took the badge and held it up to his face, letting it rest in his open palm as he examined it up close.

"Thank you," he finally murmured to the two brothers, bowing slightly. They bowed back and chorused, "No, thank you."

"Good luck on your journey," Clyde said to the three Trainers with a wink.

"And give our brother Cilan our best regards if you happen to cross paths with him," Cress added with a small wave.

Volan, Thrin, and Bianca all nodded as they waved farewell and walked out of the Gym, the previous spectacle replaying in each of their heads as they smiled to themselves.

-.-.-.-.-.

**I wasn't planning for the Gym battle to be that awesome, but it just developed as I went along. I was inspired to add the final Iron Tail when I watched Ash's Scraggy defeat Simipour in the Clubsplosion tournament.**

**Also, Cilan's gone. I'm drawing inspiration from both the game and the anime as I write this story, so you can bet that him, Ash, and Iris will be making occasional appearances.**

**So, Volan's first Gym badge! Exciting stuff, right? My little sister requested that Thrin not pursue the Unova League challenge, so she won't be doing any Gym battles. However, any tournaments that they come across along the way are fair game.**

**See you soon for Chapter 12!**

**Chili: "It would be awesome if you guys reviewed!"**

**Chapter Question #2****: Chili and Cilan face off, and Cress fights the winner. Barring type advantages, who do you think would win either match?**

**My money's on Chili for both fights, since his opponents probably wouldn't be able to keep up with his energetic attitude.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn**


	13. The Purloined Purrloin!

_**Chapter 12 - The Purloined Purrloin**_

**Last time in "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan and Bianca challenged the Striaton Gym while Thrin watched on the sidelines. Although the Gym couldn't operate as normal under the absence of one of the three Gym leaders, Chili and Cress were still able to accept their challenge. In the Double Battle that ensued, Volan and Bianca were able to make the finishing blow with an Iron Tail-Gust combo that earned them the Trio Badge!**

-.-.-.-.-.

West of Striaton City laid Route 3, a calm, peaceful route combining the serenity of grasslands with the beauty of the huge lakes dominating the area. A Pokemon breeding center had been opened up on the route as well, welcoming new Trainers and offering to assist them in raising their Pokemon.

But right now, Volan and Thrin were basking in the warm glow of the afternoon sun as they made their way through the grassland. They had left Bianca behind, much to their exhausted relief. The blonde was definitely good company, but they could only take too much of her… let's say "unique" character.

"You think it was a good idea to leave Bianca behind at the breeding center?" Thrin asked, tossing her brother an apple as they took a break in the shade of a tree.

"Why not?" replied Volan. "She seems like she could use some help with her Pokemon, even if she did help me pull off that victory at the Striaton Gym."

Thrin nodded, agreeing with his point, before turning her gaze toward the tree in front of them. As they ate and talked, they watched their Pokemon do the same. Oliver, Grunge, Bernice, and Luna all shared their Pokemon food happily as their Trainers watched from a distance.

"You have the map, Thrin," Volan began, biting into the fruit. "Can you tell us where Route 3 leads to?"

The girl opened the digital town map and examined it for a few seconds. At last, she replied, "Yeah, Nacrene City is close by. There's a museum, a Gym, and something called a 'Battle Club' there, so that'll keep us occupied for a while."

Volan considered that briefly. _Another Gym, so soon after the first?_ he thought. _If it's anything like the Striaton Gym, it'll be tough to earn that badge…_

Inspiration suddenly struck him. "Why don't we train for the afternoon?" he asked, causing Thrin to glance up at him in surprise. "This seems like a good place to camp anyway, so why not spend the rest of the day here?"

His sister thought about that for a bit before deciding that it was a good plan. "Sure, we can do that," she said with a grin. "I've been wondering if I should teach Oliver and Luna some new moves so they can defeat stronger opponents…"

"I've read that Flame Charge is a good move for Tepig," Volan said. "And you could teach Psybeam to Luna while you're at it."

Thrin smiled wryly. "You'd be completely lost if it weren't for the amount of reading you do, wouldn't you?"

Volan simply shrugged and said nothing.

They rapidly blazed through their lunch, only to realize that they were running low on food and would need to restock soon. They wouldn't be able to remain on Route 3 for long.

"Alright, gang!" Volan called, making his way over to the eating Pokemon. "How do you all feel like doing a little training before we call it a day?"

Bernice and Oliver were ever-enthusiastic about the idea. Grunge thought for a bite before nodding his agreement. Luna just looked a little confused.

"What about a battle between you and me, Volan?" Thrin asked with a smile. "You and one of your Pokemon can help Oliver learn Flame Charge and Luna learn Psybeam, as you suggested."

Volan was never one to pass up a battle, especially to his sister. "Alright then," he conceded. "How about fighting Grunge? It'll be good experience for Oliver and Luna if they battle someone as tough as him."

"Gar gar!" cried Grunge, leaping to his feet. "_Yes, let me at 'em!_"

Bernice rolled her eyes. "Pidooove. _Sheesh._"

Thrin bent down to Oliver's level. "Let's start with you, alright? We can try learning Flame Charge! Doesn't that sound exciting?"

The Fire-type nodded. "Pig, Tepig tep! _Yes, I want to get stronger!_"

It was settled, and the training session between Grunge and Oliver got underway. Both Pokemon stood before their Trainers, ready to rumble. Oliver was a little intimidated by his opponent, but Thrin encouraged him to do the best that he could. It was part of their training, not a real battle.

"Remember, the idea is to build up Oliver's experience," Volan called over. "Then the two of you can start training on your own to learn the new move!"

"Got it!" confirmed Thrin. "Oliver, start with Tackle!"

"Tepiiiiig!" he cried, running full speed at Grunge. He collided with the huge Poison-type with incredible force, causing Grunge to stumble back a pace or two.

"Now, Grunge! Use your Pound attack!" Volan ordered. Grunge stomped forward to face Oliver, then swung with his left arm.

"Dodge, Oliver!" cried his Trainer, and the Tepig jumped over Grunge's swing. "Good job!" Thrin congratulated him. "Now, use your Ember!"

Oliver snorted a blast of fiery embers from his snout, which connected with Grunge's body and caused him to stumble backwards again. The Garbodor rubbed the spot where the fire had hit, wincing as the burn stung a little.

"Don't let it bother you, Grunge," Volan told him. "Now, use Body Slam!"

"Gar, Garbodor!" Grunge cried, launching himself into the air and coming down feet-first at Oliver. At a cry from Thrin, the Fire-type managed to avoid the attack as Grunge slammed into the ground with a mighty crash.

"Now use Poison Gas!" commanded Volan. Grunge immediately began spewing toxic fumes into the air via his right arm.

"Dodge and use Ember again, Oliver!" Thrin responded. With an affirmative grunt, Oliver leapt out of the way of the Poison Gas and launched the Ember attack straight at Grunge, hidden by his poisonous fog.

But then, the unexpected happened. The flames touched the gas, and then a violent explosion blasted across the battlefield. Volan, Thrin, Oliver, and Grunge were all thrown painfully onto the ground by the shockwaves, and their vision was obscured by huge clouds of smoke. Volan's eyes were watering as he slowly and painfully sat up, rubbing the arm he had landed on.

The smoke slowly cleared from the field, allowing him to see just what had happened. The explosion had torn a huge crater in the grassy earth, in the middle of which sat Grunge, completely unconscious. Oliver was charred and covered with smudges of dirt as he struggled to get up. Thrin was in slightly better shape.

"Um… wow," his sister muttered, getting to her feet. She walked over to Volan and offered him her hand. Volan took it and allowed her to help him up.

"Note to self," he said, wincing with pain, "never use Poison Gas against a Fire-type. I can't recall ever reading that it was explosive…"

Thrin just laughed, which fell short as her wounds as well began to sting. She gingerly picked up Oliver and cradled him in her arms. "Why don't we head back to where Bianca is, at the breeding center, and ask if they can look after Grunge and Oliver for a little while? The folks there aren't exactly Nurse Joy, but they'll be in good hands, at least."

Volan nodded after taking a moment to consider. "Alright then," he agreed, digging out Grunge's Poke Ball. "Sorry about that," he added to Grunge. "I'll be more careful from now on."

But before he could recall the Poison-type, an unexpected voice came from just behind him.

"Is that your Garbodor?" it demanded. Both Volan and Thrin turned to see the black-haired boy from Route 2 standing there, eyes on the unconscious Poison-type in the crater.

"Who wants to know?" Volan asked warily, not recognizing him at first.

"Wait, Volan!" Thrin exclaimed. "That's the Trainer we helped on Route 1, remember? His name's… Houston or something like that, right?" she finished, nodding to the black-haired boy.

"It's Hugh," he stated, then turned to Volan. "Is that your Garbodor?" he repeated, the look in his eyes daring the Gurei boy to lie.

"Yes," Volan said icily. "What of it? I caught him fair and square."

Hugh suddenly sagged, his flame-like hair seeming to droop. He muttered something under his breath, something that the two siblings noticed and looked at him concernedly.

"What's wrong?" Thrin asked, walking over to stand by the dejected Trainer's side. "Are you disappointed? Did you have your eye on that Pokemon?"

Hugh looked up at her sadly. "No," he replied. "It's just that… well, Grunge is my old Pokemon."

Volan's eyes went from narrowed with suspicion to wider than a Venonat's.

"You see," Hugh continued, wringing his hands, "Grunge and I were partners before I saw the speech by Team Plasma in Accumula Town. I released him into the wild of Route 2, and… when you guys convinced me that the Plasmas were wrong, I started looking all over for him. I-I miss him." His voice cracked with emotion.

The ice in Volan's heart melted. "I d-don't know what to say," he stammered, looking back at Grunge, his hide still smoking as he lay in the crater. "Grunge agreed to stay with me from now on because… because he thought that you had left him for good, I guess."

In truth, Volan didn't know what Grunge's reason for coming with him had been. But that seemed the most likely answer.

Hugh's face was expressionless. But then, he suddenly seemed to brighten.

"Tell you what," he said, suddenly sounding less upset. "You keep Grunge as your own Pokemon."

Now the siblings were truly shocked. "Are you sure?" Thrin asked incredulously. "Don't you want Grunge back?"

"Of course I do," Hugh said seriously. "But I released him, and Volan caught him again, fair and square like he said. I'm pretty sure Grunge has already accepted you as his new Trainer, Volan. Lastly, I still owe you one for when you convinced me that Team Plasma was wrong to try and separate humans from Pokemon. So keep Grunge. You deserve him."

Volan was speechless – something that rarely happened. _What do I do now that I know Hugh is Grunge's Trainer? _he thought. _Now it just feels wrong to hold onto him… Maybe I should ask Grunge about it._

"You're absolutely sure about this?" Volan finally asked cautiously.

Hugh nodded and swiftly changed the subject. "I heard you were going to the breeding center?" he asked.

When Thrin nodded confirmation, he continued, "I'm going there as well to take my little sister home. Mind if I tag along?"

The two siblings looked at each other, exchanging looks and knowing instinctively what the other was thinking. "No, we don't mind," Volan said, albeit hesitantly. "You can come along if you want."

The three Trainers began walking. "I'm curious, Hugh," Thrin said conversationally. "What other Pokemon did you have besides Grunge?"

The black-haired boy thought about it for a bit. "I've already found Scrooge, my Scraggy," he replied. "I still have Dewey and Lou to find."

"So Hughie's missing Dewey and Louie?" Volan snickered. "It must be hard to keep your Ducklett in a row."

But despite his laughter, Volan wasn't so sure that letting Hugh come along with them was a good idea. _Is he only asking to come with us so that he can try and get Grunge back?_ Volan wondered. _He did say that he didn't mind if Grunge stayed with me… but is that really what he wants?_

As he pondered the truth, a white shadow flashed across his eyes. He decided that he'd have to keep a close eye on this boy.

-.-.-.-.-.

The breeding center was only an hour's walk from their current location. It was a rather large building, built to accommodate not only Trainers and their Pokemon, but the children that often came to learn about and play with the creatures. More arrived every day, even as others were taken out.

It was usually a tranquil place. But when the three Trainers caught their first glimpse of it, they could immediately tell that such was not the case this day.

Bianca stood in front of the building, kneeling down to comfort a crying girl. The girl's hair was long, sleek, and of the same shade as Hugh's. The little girl's body was wracked by sobs as she buried her face in her hands and wept continuously.

Hugh, upon spotting the distressing scene, immediately dashed over. "What happened?" he demanded harshly. "Why is my sister crying?"

Bianca looked up at him, and Volan could see that she looked close to crying as well. "T-Team Plasma…" she stammered. "Th-they stole this little girl's Purrloin! I couldn't do anything to stop them!"

Instantly, Hugh's flaming black hair seemed to blaze. Thrin took an involuntary step away from the boy as she saw his blood pressure start climbing. Volan, too, looked like he could succumb to fury at any second.

"Which way did they go?" Volan asked in a dangerously unstable voice. Bianca trembled and sniffled before pointing a shaky finger to the west. "They said something about hiding in Wellspring Cave," she said in a tremulous voice.

"They're going to pay for this!" Hugh raged, running off in the direction Bianca had indicated.

"Stay with the girl," Volan told her, forcing his voice to be calm. "We'll get those Plasmas."

The girl in question looked up at Volan desperately and squeaked, "Please, Trainer. Please get my Purrloin back!"

Her voice pulled on Volan's heartstrings. He smiled softly, forgetting his anger for a moment, and gently wiped the tears from her face. "We will," he promised.

Bernice spread her wings and took to the skies, with the two Gureis following close behind her.

-.-.-.-.-.

**And the award for Best Chapter Title Ever goes to…**

**So, Volan, Thrin, and Hugh must team up in the face of a crisis! But will Volan's Garbodor be able to forgive his old Trainer for abandoning him in time to stop Team Plasma and retrieve the stolen Pokemon?**

**This was a shorter chapter, but I'll be sure to make the next one longer.**

**Also… Duck Tales for the win.**

**Grunge: "Odor, gar Garbodor gar! ****_Review, or have a taste of my Poison Gas!_****"**

**Chapter Question #3****: Which do you think is the worst of Team Plasma's crimes throughout the game?**

**I'd have to say beating on that poor Munna.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Tackle, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn**


	14. Crisis in Wellspring Cave

_**Chapter 13 - Crisis in Wellspring Cave**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend…"**

**Volan and Thrin were continuing on their journey after leaving Bianca at the breeding center on Route 3, deciding to stop for lunch and to train. After Oliver unexpectedly defeated Grunge, the Trainer named Hugh appeared, and revealed himself to be Grunge's old Trainer. He realized that the Garbodor had accepted Volan as his new Trainer already, and decided to let the Gurei boy keep him. But when they reached the breeding center with the intention of healing their Pokemon, they found out that Team Plasma had mugged Hugh's little sister for her Purrloin!**

-.-.-.-.-.

The Wellspring Cave was two hours west of the breeding center. It certainly didn't look all that large, but Volan knew better than to judge based on appearance alone. He knew that caves could go deep underground, and that they were extremely dangerous places – especially to humans, who were by no means cave-dwelling creatures.

Hugh had gone in there without a second thought, Volan was sure. He had seen the boy's intense anger, and could guess that he wouldn't let anything stop him from getting his sister's Purrloin back.

Even if it meant looking death in the eye.

"Should we go in too?" Thrin asked worriedly by her brother's side. She gazed timidly at the gaping black hole in the rock that served as the cave's mouth. She continued, "I mean, we might need to help Hugh in case he stumbles into danger."

"Of course we're going in," Volan said. "We can't just stand here and do nothing while Team Plasma is possibly getting away with their theft as we speak."

But still, Volan hesitated. One of his Pokemon, Grunge, had once belonged to Hugh. Would the Garbodor be willing to work once more with the Trainer who abandoned him?

_It would be worth the delay to ask, _Volan mused, taking out Grunge's Poke Ball and staring at it. Through the transparent bottom, the Poison-type stared back at him. Locking eyes with the Garbodor, Volan tapped the button on the Poke Ball and released him.

"Garbo!" he roared when he had materialized. The roar was a rather forced one, as the Poison-type was still feeling a little dazed from his earlier battle with Oliver. He was facing the cave mouth, and looked at it with idle curiosity before turning to Volan. His Trainer faced him with a look of seriousness on his face, and he quieted, silently wondering what the trouble was.

"Grunge," Volan began, "I need to ask you a serious question. There is a Pokemon in that cave, one that has been stolen by Team Plasma, and Thrin and I plan to get it back."

A furious, determined look plastered itself on Grunge's face. "Garbodor, odor gar garbo!" he bellowed. "_Then why are we standing here? Let's destroy them!_"

"There's only one problem," Volan continued. "Another Trainer is trying to get it back as well. And that Trainer is the same one that abandoned you on Route 2. His name is Hugh."

At the familiarity of the name, Grunge took a step back. He was both shocked and wary. _Hugh is here?_ he thought numbly.

Volan took a deep breath and went on with his speech. "My serious question for you, Grunge, is this – will you be willing to work once more with the Trainer that released you? Are you willing to work together again to stop Team Plasma once more?"

Grunge still looked hesitant. But all in all, Volan did not have to worry. The Poison-type silently pledged to work with anyone, anyone at all, if it meant taking down Team Plasma.

He nodded once. "Gar gar!" he said, stomping each of his feet, ready to rumble.

Volan smiled. "Thank you, Grunge," he said earnestly. "I just wanted to make sure you were willing to do this…" The Gurei boy then recalled the Garbodor into his Poke Ball.

"Let's go," he said strongly, taking his first step toward the cavern entrance. Thrin nodded, and with their hearts set on retrieving the stolen Purrloin at all costs, the two siblings entered Wellspring Cave, their figures being swallowed by the darkness within.

-.-.-.-.-.

It wasn't as dark as they expected when they journeyed deeper into the cavern. From tiny cracks in the ceiling, afternoon sunlight streamed down and speckled the damp ground, making it shimmer. Stalactites hung down from the high ceiling, some almost the size of Volan, dripping moisture down onto the floor.

It was dark, dank, and unpleasant place to be, but at least it was wide and relatively easy to navigate. The cave was pretty much all one room from what Volan could see, with the occasional rock wall or giant stalagmite blocking their view from what was going on in another part of the cave.

"How far in do you think Team Plasma went?" Thrin asked after about five minutes. Volan could tell from his sister's voice that the silence was getting to her. He, on the other hand, found it somehow comforting.

"I can't be sure," he replied. "Who knows how large this cave really is on the inside? Maybe they found a side tunnel to hide in. In any case, Hugh has gone in pursuit of them, so we need to be prepared to help him get that girl's Purrloin back."

Thrin nodded, clutching Oliver's Poke Ball for moral support. _We'll get out safely,_ she assured herself. _We're going to beat Team Plasma and save the day again._

They finally knew when they were making some progress about fifteen minutes of walking later. Volan and Thrin were pretty deep into the cave, and visibility was beginning to become more restricted, when they heard the first sounds of a distant fight.

"It sounds like a Pokemon battle's going on somewhere near," Thrin observed. Volan nodded and replied, "And that means we're getting close. Let's try to walk a little more slowly and see if we can find out where that noise is coming from."

Volan was the one that found the narrow side tunnel branching off from the main cave, well hidden between two stalagmites. The sound of the distant Pokemon battle echoed up from this tunnel. As he listened, he heard a noise akin to the cry the Plasmas on Route 2 had made when Grunge had defeated them.

"They're in there, I'm sure of it," the boy mused. "Let's go, Thrin. Stay close, Bernice. It'll probably get even darker down there."

"Piiii!" warbled Bernice, her grey feathers shining slightly in the very dim light. She clutched her master's shoulder even more tightly with her talons.

The two Trainers squeezed their way between the two stalagmites and entered the tunnel. It was so narrow that they were forced to proceed in single file. Indeed, the already almost nonexistent light began to fade until they couldn't even see their hands in front of their faces. Volan stuck his arm out to the side, feeling the wall as he walked along. Thrin reached out in front of her and grabbed her brother's other arm.

Soon, the light had mysteriously returned. They found themselves out of the claustrophobic tunnel and inside a huge cavern whose walls seemed to pulse with eerie light. Luminous water made up most of the cave, its aquamarine glow reflecting off of the cave walls and allowing them to be dimly lit. There was so much of this water that it felt as if the dry land they stood upon was a mere island in the glowing lake.

Farther on, the siblings could see three Trainers battling ferociously. They recognized Hugh, as well as the amoebic uniforms of two Team Plasma members. The combatants were in the middle of the "island", from which extended a narrow land bridge that joined it to the land upon which Volan and Thrin stood.

"They're ganging up on him," Thrin said, pointing to the grunts.

"I can see that," Volan growled, his blood pressure going up slightly at the sight of them. "Then let's go increase the odds for him."

Volan and Thrin began to run across the land bridge, and they had only made it halfway to the bridge when they noticed the three Pokemon engaged in battle. Momentarily stopping to observe, Volan could see that one of the Plasmas' Pokemon was a Patrat, and the other was one he didn't recognize – a short, blue-and-grey Pokemon with deadly-looking claws.

Hugh's Pokemon was a mystery as well. It was small and yellowish-grey, bipedal, and whose skin seemed to sag around its waist. It leapt over and dove under the repeated attacks of the Plasmas' Pokemon with remarkable skill.

Both of their Pokedexes were out in a flash – Thrin scanned Hugh's Pokemon while Volan scanned the Plasma's.

"**Drilbur, the Mole Pokemon,**" Volan's encyclopedia said. "**It can dig through the ground at a speed of 30 miles per hour, making its way swiftly through soil by putting its claws together and rotating at high speed. Known to outrace automobiles. This specimen is male and knows the attacks Scratch, Dig, Mud-Slap, and Hone Claws. He has the Sand Rush ability.**"

Thrin's Pokedex had a different story to tell. "**Scraggy, the Shedding Pokemon. Its saggy skin has a rubbery elasticity. Scraggy is able to pull the skin up to its neck defensively in order to reduce damage from attacks. Massively thick, its skull is an excellent weapon. This individual is male, having the Moxie ability and knowing the moves Headbutt, Leer, Dragon Dance, and Sand-Attack.**"

"Let's do this, Bernice," Volan said determinedly, pocketing the digital encyclopedia. She bobbed her head and flapped her wings, more than ready to tangle with the Plasmas again.

The two siblings ran the last few paces and stopped beside a surprised Hugh. "You guys?" he asked, incredulous.

Neither Trainer said anything in response, but both glared heatedly at the two Plasmas. Behind them, they could now see a garbage bag wriggling and struggling behind them. _That must be where they're keeping the Purrloin,_ Volan seethed, hand tightening on Grunge's Poke Ball.

"Oliver, go get them with Body Slam!" Thrin cried, hurling her Poke Ball into the air. With a flash of light, Oliver appeared and almost instantly jumped on the Patrat, squishing it under his surprising weight.

"No faiiiiiir!" wailed one of the Plasmas. "Three against one is cheating!"

Volan's voice was like Arctic ice. "And stealing Pokemon is _against the law_," he retorted. "Bernice, Air Cutter!"

"Dove dooooove!" the Pidove trilled, raising her wings and hurling razor-edged blades of wind at both of the opposing Pokemon. Oliver jumped out of the way just in time for Patrat and Drilbur to get slammed by them.

Hugh jumped in with an attack of his own. "Scrooge, get Drilbur with Headbutt!"

"Scrag scrag!" replied the lizard-like Pokemon, dashing across the rocky ground at Drilbur. At the last minute, Scrooge reared his head back and lunged with all of his strength.

"Drilbur, dodge with Dig!" commanded its Trainer – if such a pathetic excuse for a human being could be called a Trainer. Nonetheless, the Mole Pokemon jumped into the ground, clashing his claws together and drilling into the rock. Scrooge's head smashed into the floor a split second later.

"Patrat, get the Tepig with Bite!" the other Plasma ordered. The meerkat-like Pokemon scampered across the ground at Oliver, its large front teeth flashing.

"Oliver, use Ember!" Thrin cried, but just as Oliver was about to launch the flames, Drilbur dug out of the ground and smashed into him, sending him reeling. An instant later, Patrat bit down on his tail and caused him to squeal in pain.

Volan gritted his teeth at their tactics. "Bernice, hit Patrat with Gust!" he commanded.

"Pidooooove!" Bernice shrieked, wings glowing brightly as she furiously flapped them. A gale-force wind blasted through the cave, ripping Patrat off of Oliver and sending Drilbur tumbling head-over-claws.

"Use Dig to avoid it, Drilbur!" the Plasma commanded, and he obediently drilled into the ground again, safe from the turbulent wind. He reappeared just below Scrooge, flinging him into the air with a loud cry.

"Go for Drilbur with Quick Attack, Bernice!" Volan cried.

"And use Headbutt on Drilbur as well, Scrooge!" Hugh added.

Bernice shot forth with a flash of white light. Scrooge dashed forward without any flashy side effects, but there was no denying the Scraggy's power when he slammed his hard noggin into Drilbur's relatively softer one. The Ground-type cried out in pain, only to have it cut short when Bernice smashed into his gut, sending him flying.

Thrin was still steaming from the dirty tactics the two crooks had used on her beloved Starter. "Oliver, bash Patrat with Tackle!" she screamed angrily.

"Te-PIIIIIIIG!" screamed Oliver as well, just as mad. He began to rush toward the temporarily fallen Patrat, but then something happened. His feet began to kick up sparks as well as dust. In just a few steps, the sparks ignited, and Oliver burst into flames.

"No way!" exclaimed Hugh. "Your Tepig just learned Flame Charge!"

"PIIIIG!" he cried just as he tackled Patrat. The Normal-type screeched as it was thrown to the ground, fur smoking. It staggered to its feet, surprisingly resilient.

"Scrooge, Dragon Dance, then Headbutt!" Hugh commanded.

"Drilbur, Dig!" cried the second Plasma, who thought Scrooge was still targeting his Pokemon. Drilbur replied, "Dril!" before tunneling once more into the cave floor.

"Scraggy!" the Dark-and-Fighting-type said determinedly. His body became suffused with a blue aura that looked almost like flames. Before the aura had entirely vanished, Scrooge streaked forward at an impressive speed at Patrat, who couldn't do anything as Scrooge's super-thick skull crashed into it.

"Raaaaaat!" it screeched, skidding across the ground and stopping at the Plasma's feet. It didn't move.

Despite their anger at Team Plasma, both Gurei children felt like cheering at their victory. But the battle was not yet over – Drilbur had yet to surface, and when it did, their three Pokemon would be on it like Carvanha on an injured Wailmer.

Silence pressed down on them as the waiting dragged out. Everyone glanced around, fully expecting Drilbur to pop up suddenly and attack. But it didn't. Even the Plasmas looked bewildered.

"Where did it go?" Volan whispered through clenched teeth. He scanned the rock floor, trying to guess where Drilbur was hiding. Bernice circled in the air while Scrooge and Oliver stood beside each other tensely.

The ground beneath Volan then shook slightly. Behind his glasses, his eyes widened.

_Oh no._

With a *pop*, Drilbur jumped out of the ground in front of Volan. "Dril!" it said with a smirk, and then clapped its claws together.

Right on cue, the rock beneath Volan fractured, and then shattered completely. With a horrified noise somewhere between a shout and a shriek, the Gurei boy fell into a dark, yawning chasm with no visible bottom, clearly the work of Drilbur's tunneling.

"VOLAN!" screamed Thrin and Hugh in unison.

"TEPIG!" cried Oliver.

"Scrag?!" squeaked Scrooge.

"PIDOOOOOOOOOOVE!" screeched Bernice, folding her wings and plummeting down after him.

Both boy and bird vanished into the blackness, possibly never to be seen again.

-.-.-.-.-.

The Pokemon first realized that something was off when it heard the sounds of combat rippling through the water. It stopped, puzzled – the cries of the Pokemon that were involved in the apparent clash were unfamiliar. _New Pokemon?_ the creature thought, curious and a little excited. _I've only ever seen Roggenrola and Woobat in this cave. Wait, scratch that – I've seen Swoobat and Boldore too. But these sounds don't sound anything like any of them._

Its curiosity outweighed its instinct to swim away from such frightening, violent sounds. Wiggling its stubby tail, the Pokemon swam swiftly through the dark canals that were so familiar to it. It had lived in Wellspring Cave for its entire (and admittedly short) life so far, and thus could navigate the numerous underground rivers and streams with its eyes _and_ ears closed.

But the Pokemon heard the sounds coming from a tunnel it had never thought to explore before. Not stopping to think of the consequences of swimming blindly into an unfamiliar tunnel, it thrashed its tail even faster and shot into the small gap, just large enough to fit a Pokemon of its size in it.

The journey didn't take long – it ended in an unbearably bright cavern filled with luminous water. _Great granite,_ thought the Pokemon, squinting its eyes shut. _Who could see in such a bright place?_ Indeed, it had grown up in the perpetual darkness of Wellspring Cave, and thus was not accustomed to such blinding light.

But eventually, its eyes adjusted, and it was able to see. And boy, was it astounded! It had never seen such a sight! Granted, it had never really needed to use its eyes, and thus had never really seen clearly at all. But now, it was observing the rocky walls and floor of its home in detail for the very first time.

The Pokemon was shaken from its wonder by the sounds of combat, much closer now. It couldn't feel the sounds coming from underwater, so they had to have come from above the surface. Sounds originating from liquid had a very different tone from those originating from air or earth, something only this Pokemon's ears could pick up on.

It poked its tiny head above the surface and watched the scene unfolding before it with awe written all over its little face. Five unfamiliar Pokemon – it assumed they were Pokemon, at least – were in heated battle while another five beings egged them on. They were tall, lanky, and stood on two legs.

The Pokemon's now-fully-functioning eyes widened in surprise. These couldn't possibly be the human creatures it had heard of, could they? Humans were such a rare sight in the caves that everyone from the gossipy Woobat to the shy Roggenrola came to see them when they did visit. But this Pokemon had never seen, or even _heard_, a human before with its own eyes and ears.

But even as the Pokemon admired them, one disappeared. The Pokemon was confused, until it slowly realized that this human had fallen down a hole.

Carefully listening to the human's fading cries, the Pokemon detected that the hole led all the way down to the bottom of the cave network. At this realization, the Pokemon became worried. Not even a sturdy Roggenrola would be able to survive such a fall.

_Something has to be done,_ thought the Pokemon, diving down beneath the surface once more. _And maybe I should be the one to do something._

-.-.-.-.-.

**Gasp! Volan is down! Falling down, that is. Will he survive? Will Thrin and Hugh get the Purrloin back without him? And even with the help of Bernice, how will he ever escape Wellspring Cave?**

**And what of the mysterious watcher in the water? Does it know where Volan is falling, and is it planning to rescue him? What could its motives be?**

**Find out in Chapter 14!**

**Chapter Question #4****: You are approached by Professor Juniper, who offers you the chance to pick any unevolved Pokemon in Unova and to go on a journey with it! Which Pokemon would you pick?**

**I'd pick the awesome prehistoric bird of doom, Archen! Or sweep my opponents before me with the sheer adorableness of Frillish!**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn**


	15. Laying the Smackdown on Plasma!

_**Chapter 14 - Laying the Smackdown on Plasma!**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan and Thrin caught up with Hugh deep in Wellspring Cave. They found him battling with his Scraggy, Scrooge, against two members of Team Plasma. Calling out Bernice and Oliver, the Gurei siblings joined the battle. The foes' Drilbur into the ground, and Oliver knocked out their Patrat with a newly-learned Flame Charge. But soon, Drilbur's tunneling weakened the ground beneath Volan, who plummeted into a deep hole that led to a place completely unknown…**

-.-.-.-.-.

Hugh was angrier than he had ever been.

Team Plasma had stolen his sister's Pokemon, and earlier, had convinced him that Pokemon and humans were to be separated. On top of that, they had indirectly caused his friend, Volan, to plummet down a near-bottomless hole to certain death.

Yep, they were dead meat.

"Scrooge, Headbutt!" he demanded, and his Scraggy quickly complied, bashing the Drilbur on the opposing team with his skull. With a whimper, the mole-like Pokemon fell.

But the Plasmas were hardly fazed, sending out a Lillipup and a Timburr. Hugh and his ally, Thrin, narrowed their eyes as they realized that this fight was far from over.

Thrin was almost as mad as Hugh was as she screamed commands at her Tepig, Oliver. Not that Oliver minded – he was just as furious at Volan's disappearance, and his anger fueled his flames. It never paid to upset a Fire-type.

As the Pokemon battled it out, Hugh noticed something glinting on the ground beside the hole Volan had fallen into. Intrigued despite himself, Hugh picked it up.

It was a Poke Ball. And not just any Poke Ball – it undoubtedly belonged to Volan, probably having fallen off when its owner had fallen.

And it wasn't just any of Volan's Poke Balls.

It was Grunge's.

Hugh gritted his teeth as he looked back toward the battle and saw Scrooge flung across the battlefield by the Timburr's Low Kick attack. He glanced back at Grunge's Poke Ball, pondering.

_Should I?_ Hugh thought. _I abandoned Grunge. I do not deserve to be his Trainer. Perhaps he has already moved on. But will he be willing to work with me again in order to save my sister's Purrloin?_

He tightened his grip on the Poke Ball and thought decisively, _Sometimes, the best way to make sure of something is to simply ask._

The Pokemon Hugh thought he would never see again appeared in a flash of blue light, with his customary and heart-wrenchingly familiar bellow. Grunge roared deafeningly and beat his chest in an intimidating manner, but stopped when he noticed Hugh watching. The Garbodor became very quiet.

"Grunge," Hugh said, trying not to tear up. His voice was hoarse already. "I know that I haven't been the best Trainer in the world… but my sister's Purrloin is in danger. I need you, Grunge. Can you help your old friend Scrooge – and me – to get my sister's Pokemon back from those Plasmas?"

The Poison-type looked toward the battlefield, looking into the eyes of a Pokemon he missed dearly, deep down. His friend Scrooge looked up at him pleadingly. He said, "Scraggy scrag? Scraggy? _Can you please help us, Grunge? For me, and your old master?_"

Grunge's heart filled with rage as he regarded the Plasmas and their smug expressions on the other side of the battlefield. Looking back into Scrooge's pleading eyes, he replied determinedly, "Gar, Garbodor odor! _Yes, I'll help you!_"

He gave a mighty bellow that shook stones from the ceiling. Thrin was wide-eyed, and the Plasmas became frightened. But Hugh knew his old friend well enough to have an idea of what he was saying.

"You're awesome, Grunge," the black-haired boy said, actually tearing up this time. "Now, let's give those Plasmas a Body Slam attack!"

"GARBODOR! _LET'S ROCK!_"

-.-.-.-.-.

The Pokemon swam desperately down the river, knowing that the waterfall was just up ahead. All it needed to do was go over the falls, and it would be at the very bottom of the cave network. Hopefully, the human would still be alive when it reached him.

Its sensitive ears picked up the sound of roaring water as it cascaded over a cliff, and he increased his speed. Due to the darkness of the cave, it couldn't see when the waterfall began, but it could feel the water become rougher, and it could sense where the cliff ended just up ahead. Steeling itself, the Pokemon rushed forward once more and jumped over the waterfall.

*Plop*!

The Pokemon plunged deep beneath the lake at the bottom, opening its eyes to behold a new sight. The water was luminous here, just like the cave where it had first seen the humans. The Pokemon was able to use its eyes again! It was glad for this, because seeing clearly was a new and exciting experience for it.

_Now, where is that human?_ the Pokemon wondered, looking around. He had to be somewhere down here – this was the farthest the Wellspring Cave network went. It decided to use both its newfound eyesight and its hearing to find the human.

Pleased with this idea, the Pokemon started to swim away from the lake and into one of the numerous rivers that extended from it. The river it was following led deep into a tunnel lit with the aquamarine light. Thrashing its tail, the Pokemon swam faster, both curious and desperate to see if the poor human had made it through his fall alive.

The tunnel wasn't very long, and the Pokemon swam out into a much smaller cave. It poked its head out to get a better look at its surroundings. The ceiling was high, and the majority of the cave was made up of luminous water. Only around the edges of the cave was there land. And on that land, the Pokemon saw with a thrill of excitement the human that it had been seeking!

The two-legged creature was even stranger-looking up close. He wore strange crystalline objects over his eyes and was swaddled in dark-colored 'clothes' (as the Woobat and Roggenrola said the garments were called) that nearly blended in with the cave wall. A mess of dirty-colored fur topped his head. The fascinating creature was lit by the same aquamarine light that danced across the walls of the cavern.

The Pokemon was startled to hear him speak loudly – and even more startled when it realized that it could understand his language. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Bernice," he said, looking up toward the cave ceiling.

Puzzled, the Pokemon glanced up as well to see one of the unfamiliar Pokemon from before circling near the cave ceiling. It was grey and feathery, and it flapped its wings much more quietly than a Woobat. Each wingbeat made a gentle *whuff whuff* sound, instead of the leathery *whap* of the Bat Pokemon. It was almost as intriguing as the human was.

"Don't mention it," it was saying to the human in a feminine voice. "I'm just glad that you're all right after that fall. But we have to find our way out of here!"

It was clear that the human didn't understand her – indeed, it sounded like a female – urgent words. But the Pokemon watching from the water did, and it seemed like these two wanted to get back up to the surface world, where they belonged.

Steeling its courage, the Pokemon swam forward and spoke up.

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan was still amazed that he was alive.

After he had gotten over the initial shock of falling unexpectedly into a pit, he was already well within the dark recesses of the chasm. He couldn't see a thing, but he was able to hear the cries of his friends as they drifted down to his ears. There was a lot of wind whistling in his ears, but he could pick up the sound of wingbeats through the turbulence.

And suddenly, he was free of the suffocating darkness and was free-falling through a massive, luminous cavern, similar to the one him, Thrin, and Hugh had been fighting Team Plasma in. At the speed he was falling, Volan realized that if he hit the water, he'd be driven into unconsciousness, and then slowly drown.

He had braced himself for impact and squinted his eyes shut, not wanting to watch his own demise – when all of a sudden, he felt claws squeeze his shoulders tightly, and his fall abruptly stopped.

Volan had then opened his eyes and looked up to see Bernice beating her wings as hard as she could, struggling to stay airborne with him in her talons.

Abruptly, her strength had given out, and she dropped Volan into the cold water.

He swam to the edge of the glowing lake and hauled himself onto dry land. He was soaked, chilled to the bone, lost, and was still breathing rapidly from his earlier harrowing ordeal.

But thank Arceus, at least he was alive.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Bernice," he said to the Pidove, looking down on him from her hovering position. She seemed relieved that he was alright.

"Pidove, dooove dooove! Pidoooooove!" she trilled, and it was apparent that she was trying to tell him something. She fluttered down to perch on his shoulder again.

Volan stood up to his full height, wondering how to get out of this cavern. But just as he was about to ask the question filling his mind, a shrill, chirping voice suddenly rang out into the cavern.

"Tyyyyyym!"

The sheer closeness of the sudden cry made Volan jump in shock. He turned his head in the direction of the voice, and was surprised to see a strange little Pokemon staring at him from the surface of the lake. It was spherical with two large bumps on the sides of its body, and had a cute smile and wagging, paddle-like tail.

Hesitantly, trying not to startle it, Volan took out his Pokedex and turned down the volume before it could speak. The glow of the screen illuminated his face and allowed him to see the information scrolling across it despite the darkness.

"**Tympole, the Tadpole Pokemon,**" the Pokedex stated. "**They warn others of danger by vibrating its cheeks to create sound waves. The rhythm of these sounds allows them to talk and navigate their surroundings. Often, these sounds are imperceptible to humans. This specimen is a male with the Hydration ability. His attacks are Bubble, Supersonic, Sing, and Mud Shot.**"

"So that's a Tympole," Volan murmured, putting the device away. The little Water-type gazed at him with genuine fascination in his eyes. "Hey, little guy," the boy said in a friendly way, kneeling down closer to the water. "Do you live down here?"

"Tym tym!" squeaked Tympole, nodding his – uh, head.

Volan smiled. "Do you think you can show Bernice and me the way out of here?" he asked.

Tympole could only assume that this Bernice he spoke of was the strange feathered Pokemon on his shoulder, but he understood the rest of the question. The human and his Pokemon wanted out, and Tympole was more than happy to help.

"Tym!" he chirped with a big smile, flicking his tail at them. Volan smiled and followed the Tympole as it swam toward the river leading into the tunnel in the distance.

Things were looking up.

_Literally,_ Volan thought, heart beginning to sink as they crossed through the tunnel and into another cave, and saw Tympole darting through the water directly toward the waterfall roaring in the distance.

-.-.-.-.-.

"Grunge, use Body Slam again!" yelled Hugh.

The huge Poison-type leapt high into the air and came down on the Lillipup. It yelped in terror and scampered out of the way just as Grunge crashed into the floor like a meteor.

"Scrooge, use Leer!" he commanded, and his Scraggy got up in the Puppy Pokemon's face. Unable to react in time, it froze as Scrooge's beady eyes bore into its own.

Thrin saw an opening to exploit. "Oliver, use Flame Charge!" she cried, pointing at the intimidated Lillipup.

"Tepig, Tepig, Tepig…" Oliver said as he stomped on the ground, building up the sparks. He stomped faster and faster until his body had ignited, and then rushed forward with a determined cry of "TEPIIIIIIG!"

The Flame Charge hit hard, throwing up dust and smoke into the stale air, and sent the Lillipup skidding across the ground. It whimpered pitifully as it struggled to stand on all fours again.

"Timburr, use your Rock Throw on that Tepig!" cried the Plasma grunt in charge of the Fighting-type. With its customary cocky smirk, Timburr slammed its log into the ground and tore a good-sized chunk out of it. It picked it up, then hurled it with all of its considerable might at Oliver.

Rock Throw was actually a pretty smart move for a Plasma, being super-effective against Fire-types. But as Thrin's eyes widened at the sight of the incoming projectile, everyone except Hugh momentarily forgot that there were other types present on the battlefield.

"Scrooge, use Dragon Dance, and then smash that rock with Headbutt!" Hugh ordered.

"Scrag!" affirmed Scrooge, glowing with blue flames as he dashed toward his teammate. Oliver's startled eyes saw the Scraggy leap in between him and the rock hurtling toward him, and then rear his head back and smash it into the rock. It shattered like glass, and Scrooge showed no signs of even a minor headache.

"Tep Tepig! _Thank you!_" said Oliver.

"Scrag scrag. _You're welcome,_" replied Scrooge with a shrug.

Thrin was relieved, then switched back to battle mode. "Oliver, get revenge on that Timburr with Flame Charge!" she said, enjoying the new attack greatly.

"Teeeeh… PIIIIG!" he cried, bursting into flames and hurling himself at the Fighting-type. It couldn't dodge in time, as Oliver's speed had been increased considerably from all the times he had used Flame Charge. He hit with the force of a twenty-pound pig at thirty miles an hour (because that's kind of what he was), throwing Timburr across the battlefield like so much junk.

Speaking of junk, Hugh decided to give Scrooge a break and have Grunge attack next. "Use Pound to finish Timburr off!" he told the Trash Heap Pokemon.

"Odor!" rumbled Grunge, stomping forward toward the shaken Timburr. The Muscular Pokemon reached out with a trembling hand for his lumber, but he was too late. When he laid just a finger on it, Grunge swung his arm down and smashed it onto Timburr's head. The Fighting-type was unconscious in an instant.

"No!" screamed the other Plasma, furious. "Lillipup, use Take Down on that big brute!"

"Grrowff!" snarled the little puppy as it smashed recklessly into the Garbodor. He roared painfully as he was actually thrown a few meters across the field, landing with an ugly crash. Even to a fully-evolved powerhouse like Grunge, that attack packed a huge punch.

"Now Take Down again on that little runt!" its Trainer ordered, indicating Scrooge. Lillipup lunged once more, this time at the Scraggy, forcing itself to ignore the pain of using such a powerful attack.

Take Down was almost ridiculously powerful, even more so when you considered the fact that even small Pokemon could learn it. But because it was such a reckless attack, the aggressor was often hurt as well.

Hugh knew that he could use this to his advantage. "Scrooge, block it!" he said, smirking.

"Scraggy!" said Scrooge, pulling the stretchy skin that sagged around his waist up to his neck. The skin made a sort of rubbery shield that was incredibly flexible, protecting the small Dark-and-Fighting-type from any sort of harm.

And that is exactly what it did. Lillipup slammed into Scrooge with absolutely no regard for its own safety – or more accurately, it slammed into the stretchy shield he held up. Immediately, it bounced off with a comical *sproing!* and was hurled right into the Plasmas.

"Grr, you're not going to get away with that!" the grunts said in unison. "Lillipup, use" –

But something happened to make them halt their speech. Blue light suddenly infused Lillipup's form, making it shine brightly. Additional rings of blue light began to swirl around it as its body began to stretch and morph, the changes made fuzzy and distorted by the intense light. But there was no denying that some major event was happening as the glowing Lillipup grew to more than twice its size.

As suddenly as it had happened, it was over. The glow faded, revealing a very, very different Pokemon where Lillipup had once stood.

"Grrooooooh!" howled the new Herdier triumphantly, leaping onto the battlefield to fight its astounded foes anew.

-.-.-.-.-.

Blissfully unaware of how his sister was faring up above, Volan was busy facing his own problems. Indeed, the only way out of the cave was up the waterfall, or so Tympole insisted. Luckily for him, Volan wasn't the world's worst climber – but he wasn't exactly a human Pansage either.

And then there was the fact that he had to climb with the slimy Water-type in the pocket of his hoodie. It wouldn't have been safe to carry him in one of the outside pockets – since he would most likely fall out – so Volan had stashed Tympole in his "secret" inside pocket. Thank goodness the Tadpole Pokemon was just small enough to fit inside of it.

Finally, though, Volan heaved himself over the edge of the cliff, gripping the spray-soaked rock as tightly as he could with his exhausted fingers. He lay on the bare stone for a while after that, panting tiredly while Bernice stood beside him. Tympole wriggled out of his pocket and hopped around on the ground with powerful flicks of his tail.

"Do we… have to… do that… again…?" the boy gasped, turning his head toward the bouncing Water-type. "Tympole!" he cried, shaking himself back and forth. Volan took that as a no and sat up.

He watched the raging river beside him as it cascaded over the cliff for a while, taking a rest from his long climb. Bernice and Tympole sat beside him, not as tired but willing to wait patiently for Volan to recover his strength.

"Alright," he said after a minute. "Tympole, can you continue leading us out of here?" The Tadpole Pokemon grinned at him and began to bounce away, following the river's path upstream as it roared back the way they had come.

Soon, though, they reached a dead end. The river seemed to go into a cleft in the wall of the cave, and there wasn't enough space for Volan to even crawl through. In fact, the only way through seemed to be by swimming, and the boy knew that he was no swimmer. Just looking at the powerful, white-capped waves made him queasy. It wasn't that he was afraid of water, but bad things seemed to happen whenever he went swimming.

He had done so twice in his life – once in a small lake when he was six, and once in Undella Bay when he was ten. The first trip ended in disaster when he had gotten caught between two fighting clans of Basculin, where he had been accidentally bitten three times. The second trip was infinitely worse, as it had almost cost Volan his life. He had been swimming in Undella Bay – not even that far from shore – when he had been dragged under by a hungry Frillish. Thank Arceus, Bernice had managed to warn the lifeguard, whose Gyarados had made short work of the demonic jellyfish.

The moral of the story? Volan and water did not mix well at all.

"Are you sure there isn't a land route we could take?" the Gurei boy asked, swallowing thickly.

Tympole gave the closest thing he could to a shrug. "Pole, Tympole tym. _Well, this is the way I came in,_" he said nonchalantly.

Volan couldn't understand his language, but he got the gist of what Tympole was saying. His choices were to swim against a raging current – and most likely die – or to remain trapped in the cave.

Suddenly, a pebble fell from one of the numerous boulders jutting out from the ground around them. Volan whipped around, startled, as did Bernice. But Tympole didn't look at all concerned.

Another pebble fell from a different boulder, and this time, Volan managed to catch a glimpse of something darting out from behind the rocks. It was gone before he could get a close look at it.

Volan took a step toward the boulder it had vanished behind. He was curious to see what it was – most likely just a frightened Pokemon that felt content to observe from the shadows. In that case, he was probably really scaring it by walking closer. He started to walk away.

But just then, Volan saw the thing peek out from its hiding spot from the corner of his eye. He turned his head a fraction of an inch to get a clearer look at it – it was a small, blocky-looking creature that more or less resembled a rock with feet. It had a small, yellow depression in the center of its body, as if it was a geode that had been cracked open to reveal the jewels inside.

"Roga?" it said quietly, approaching Volan a little more closely. He turned around a little bit more, trying not to startle it. Unxpectedly, two more peeked out from behind the boulder. He knew the Pokemon to be Roggenrola – Rock-types with extremely sensitive hearing skills that contained immense energy inside of them.

Bernice was a tiny bit freaked out by what looked like walking rocks, and fluttered up to Volan's shoulder. Tympole looked totally indifferent. The three Roggenrola waddled closer to Volan, and he smiled at their fascination – made even more adorable by the fact that they didn't have faces.

"Rola! Roga roga!" the trio said, startling him with the unexpected noise. But that didn't last long, as he smiled and bent down to pat them on the heads. They were cool and hard to the touch, like gemstones. "Hello there," Volan greeted them, quietly so as not to scare them off.

At this, the three Roggenrola seemed to lose the last of their fear. "Roggen, Roggenrola!" they cried, moving even closer to him. And that was when the sounds of heavy footsteps began to start, coming from all around them. Spooked, Bernice shifted her perch to Volan's head.

At least thirty Roggenrola made themselves known, peeking out from behind boulders just like the first three. They soon began to forget their caution and gathered around the human stranger to their cave, clustering around him closely and whispering amongst themselves.

Having a small mob of living rocks surround him like this made Volan feel a little nervous, not to mention claustrophobic. He stood up to his full height, scaring the Roggenrola into moving back a few feet. They whispered some more.

"Excuse me," Volan said, as quietly as he could. "I don't really belong in your caves, and I'd like to find the way out… do you think you could lead me out of here? I'm kind of lost."

All of the Roggenrola exchanged glances. Or, at least, the Roggenrola equivalent of glances. It was hard to tell on something that didn't have eyes.

At last, the biggest Roggenrola pushed itself forward and hopped up and down in front of Volan's eyes. "Roga roga!" it squeaked, then bustled off, with its fellow Roggenrola clearing a path for it. They then began to follow it, with the ones behind Volan pushing him along.

The boy smiled. The Roggenrola were more than willing to help him and Bernice. "Tympole, are you coming?" he asked, gesturing to the Water-type.

Tympole started at the realization that the human still wanted him to come along, even though the Roggenrola were already leading him off to the surface. The human didn't need Tympole around anymore, didn't he? So why did he still want Tympole to come? It was a mystery.

But Tympole decided to come along anyway. "Tym tym!" he called after Volan, hopping along behind the Roggenrola.

Volan was shocked to see the Roggenrola seemingly disappearing into the blackness of a dark corner. But it was only when he got closer that he noticed the wide, nearly invisible crevasse in the cavern wall. _Now how did I miss that?_ he wondered_. I'd never find that if I used my eyes. The senses of the Roggenrola are amazing!_

The boy simply disappeared into the darkness when he entered the hidden tunnel, with Bernice, Tympole, and a small army of Roggenrola following him. Soon, the only sign of their presence was a couple of feathers and the steady tramping of feet, the sound of which got fainter and fainter until it vanished entirely.

-.-.-.-.-.

The Roggenrola squad led Volan out of the depths of Wellspring Cave, up a gently sloping tunnel towards the surface. It might have been his imagination, but the air seemed to get fresher with every step upwards.

Occasionally, a Rock-type walking beside him would crane its… neck… up to look at him. It was very clear to Volan that they were completely isolated from the human world in this haven of theirs, and thus had probably seldom, or even never, seen one of his kind. Volan often imagined how he would react if he discovered a new species of Pokemon – but he never imagined what Pokemon felt when 'discovering' humans. Stronger Pokemon would likely see them as curiosities or at worst, enemies, while smaller ones would probably only view them as a new threat or predator, something to hide from.

He remained lost in his thoughts like this for the remainder of the journey. _No matter what Pokemon and humans view each other with, _Volan decided, _no matter if its hostility or fascination, the two will always coexist with one another._ He and Bernice were living proof of this truth.

Suddenly, as the Roggenrola led him down another tunnel, the faint sounds of battle drifted up from a different direction, making Volan stop and stare down that passageway. Just then, he realized that Thrin and Hugh were down there, still battling the Plasmas.

And with that realization came with an idea. After all, these Pokemon living in their dark, soggy paradise wouldn't be pleased to see humans that had come to ruin it…

"Roggenrola," Volan called quietly, and every Rock-type turned to face him in unison. "There's one more thing I'd like for you to help me with. It's down this tunnel, if that's alright with you?"

Something in his tone – a hidden concern or worry, something that a human wouldn't be able to detect – convinced the Roggenrola to go along with it. They all nodded and began to march down the corridor that Volan had indicated.

To Volan's eternal joy, he and his posse emerged in the same cave where he had been battling with his sister and friend. He immediately caught sight of Hugh and Thrin battling the Plasmas, shouting commands to Scrooge, Oliver, and Grunge. The Plasmas seemed to have a powerful Herdier on their side, which looked like it was seriously exhausting the former two. Grunge looked worse for wear as well.

"Do you all see – or hear – the two adult humans over there?" Volan asked, and the Roggenrola nodded again. They could hear the Plasmas' hostile battle commands and instinctively knew that they weren't friendly.

Volan continued, "Those two have kidnapped an innocent Pokemon and came here hoping to find a safe hiding place."

He could practically feel the rage burning from the Roggenrola leader as its energy core pulsed and sent shivers down his spine. "I think that since you live here, you should have the honor of chasing them out," the Gurei boy said with a grin.

"ROGAAAAAAA!" screeched the leader, and in a cloud of dust, the Roggenrola marched forward at frightening speed toward the battle. They belted out a constant war chant of "Roga! Roga! Rola! Rola!"

Thrin, Hugh, the Plasmas, and the Pokemon all stopped what they were doing to stare in complete shock at the rampaging Roggenrola. "Volan!" his sister cried as she spotted him at the back of the swarm. As the Rock-types charged past the two teenagers, Volan swept her up into a hug that she eagerly returned.

"I'm so glad you're safe!" Thrin squealed in his ear as she let go of him at last.

"As for me, I'm glad to see you've been holding your own against Team Plasma," the older sibling said with a proud smile. "You're really getting stronger as a Trainer."

"I hate to interrupt the tender moment," Hugh interjected, "but where the heck did you find all those Roggenrola?" His expression was completely dumbfounded.

Volan grinned widely as he saw the army of Rock-types surround the frightened Plasmas, leaving a wide space in the middle in which the crooks and their Pokemon stood.

"G-Get back!" said the Plasma on the left.

His partner stammered, "N-No need for hostility! W-We're friends of all Pokemon!"

Although the living rocks didn't have facial expressions, even the Plasmas could tell that the Roggenrola were not convinced. Not when they could clearly hear the muffled protests of the trapped Purrloin in the garbage bag.

Volan turned to the Tympole still at his side. The Tadpole Pokemon looked angry. "Want a shot at Team Plasma?" Volan asked him.

"Tym, Tympole!" answered Tympole. "_Yes, they're going to pay!_"

"Alright," said Volan, "now give that Herdier a taste of your Mud Shot!"

The Water-type's cheeks seemed to grow to an even bigger size as he prepared for the attack. He reared his 'head' back, then took aim and fired a huge bullet of mud straight at Herdier. It impacted with a loud explosion, throwing the Normal-type against the ground. "Grroooohh…" it moaned, slipping into unconsciousness.

"P-P-Plasmaaaaa!" screamed the two grunts as the Roggenrola repeatedly used Sand-Attack to blind them. They fell, writhing and clawing at their eyes, and the horde of Rock-types carried them out of the cave on their shoulders, along with the Herdier. The lead Roggenrola stopped and nodded a thank-you to Volan before following his comrades out of sight.

The screams and sounds of marching feet slowly faded, leaving nothing but silence.

"Um, wow," Hugh commented. "But seriously, where did you find those Roggenrola?"

Volan simply smiled and told both of them about what had happened after he fell into the hole. Both humans and the three Pokemon listened intently.

When he had finished his story, they all looked amazed. It was Thrin who spoke up first, saying "Well, at least you're alright. You could have been a lot worse off."

"I couldn't have done it if it weren't for Tympole and those Roggenrola," Volan agreed, gesturing at the Water-type.

Tympole blushed and turned away, examining the three other unfamiliar Pokemon that stood looking at him. "Tym Tympole. _Uh, nice to meet you._"

"Tepig tep Tepig!" said Oliver. "_Thanks for rescuing Volan!_"

"Garbo gar," Grunge piled on. "_Yeah, that means a lot to us._"

Hugh suddenly recalled Scrooge into his Poke Ball. He pocketed it, then handed a familiar-looking capsule to Volan. "Here, this is Grunge's," he explained. "We were able to work together to take on the Plasmas."

Volan took the Poke Ball and grinned at the Poison-type. "I'm glad to see that you and Hugh – pardon the rhyme – managed to make amends," he said, and Grunge nodded and slapped his old Trainer on the back affectionately.

Thrin bent down and untied the garbage bag that held Purrloin. The second it was free, it leapt on her, so eager was it to get out of her plastic prison. When it noticed Hugh, though, it meowed delightedly and pounced on him, curling up in his arms and purring audibly. The scene made the others smile.

They'd beaten Team Plasma again and saved Purrloin. _Just another good deed for the day, _Volan thought idly, observing Hugh embrace the Devious Pokemon happily.

After Volan had recalled Grunge and Thrin did the same with Oliver, the three Trainers headed back the way they had come. They were more than looking forward to getting out of this stale, damp cave and breathing fresh air again. Bernice wanted to see the sky again.

And Tympole? Well, he still felt welcome at Volan's side, so he decided to come along. Besides, this was his chance to have a glimpse of the outside world, the world where humans and all kinds of strange Pokemon lived. He had heard frightening rumors of the world outside Wellspring Cave – the Woobat said that the sun would burn your eyes up and then roast you alive if you couldn't get out of it.

But Tympole didn't believe that – Woobat had a tendency to exaggerate. So, he hopped along beside Volan as the humans walked along a path that would take them to the cave's exit.

Soon enough, the group reached the exit. Tympole's eyes – indeed accustomed to seeing now – widened as they spied a dazzling brightness just ahead. That must be the exit of WellspringCave, he reasoned. But what lies on the other side.

He was about to find out. Volan and the others stepped through the blinding light, and the brightness made Tympole clamp his eyes shut. Bracing himself, he took the final hop into the outside world…

-.-.-.-.-.

**Ooh, how will the Tympole react to his first glimpse of the sun? Will he decide to stay with Volan and see more of this new world?**

**Mysteries aside, Hugh and Grunge seem to be on good terms once again, and Hugh's sister's Purrloin has been rescued and is eager to see her young mistress after her harrowing experience! And then it's on to Nacrene City for our heroes!**

**Aaaaaand… we also get to see our first Pokemon evolution in this chapter! Exciting stuff to be sure – I always preferred the more elaborate Unova-style evolutions over the older, plainer ones.**

**Scrooge: "Scraggy! ****_Review!_****"**

**Chapter Question #5****: Which of the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games do you find as the best overall?**

**I'd have to say mine is a tie between Explorers of Sky and Gates to Infinity.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn**


	16. Meet Steven - My Bad, Stephan!

_**Chapter 15 - Meet Steven - My Bad, Stephan!**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Hugh asked Grunge for his help after Volan's unexpected disappearance, and the Poison-type agreed to help his old Trainer take down the Plasmas. Meanwhile, Volan was saved from a watery death by Bernice, who caught him before he would have injured himself. After crawling out of the lake, he met a curious Tympole, who offered to lead him out of the cave. While Thrin and Hugh battled high above, Volan, Bernice, and Tympole were helped by a group of Roggenrola and managed to reach the main floor of Wellspring Cave. Tympole destroyed Team Plasma with one powerful Mud Shot, and they rescued Purrloin before finally escaping the caverns.**

-.-.-.-.-.

The world in general is something most people take for granted. The gentle breezes that stir the leaves on the trees and make them whisper, the soft earth that feels pleasant under one's feet, and the radiant glow of the setting sun that bathes everything in orange-red light – they are all things that one is used to seeing and feeling day after day, and thus they aren't appreciated as much as they should be.

Volan, Thrin, and Hugh knew to appreciate them as they finally exited the stale, damp Wellspring Cave. The cold atmosphere of the caverns was replaced by the warm light of the sun as it sunk lower toward the horizon. Instead of the steady dripping of moisture from the cave's ceiling, they were treated to the pleasant sounds of the forest.

Bernice was relieved at being able to see the reddening sky at last, and soared up off of her master's shoulder and into the air, feeling with delight the wind breezing through her feathers with nary a sound. She cooed happily as she flew up into her element once more.

But Tympole was simply too shocked, too amazed, and too plain awestruck to say or do anything. After a lifetime living in the perpetual darkness of Wellspring Cave, all of the things that surface dwellers took for granted were brand-new experiences for the little Water-type.

A strange, chilly feeling swept over him, and he recognized the sensation as wind – he knew what wind was from the air that was stirred up occasionally by passing Woobat. But this wind was much stronger and much more exhilarating to experience as it blasted unchecked through the air and over his skin.

There was also the noise that struck Tympole – a cacophony of strange sounds that blended together into one fascinating noise. There was the wind, of course, as well as the quiet rustle of odd green things that stood high above the ground on brown pillars. The cries of unknown creatures rang out into the surprisingly warm air. The collection of noises seemed very unnerving and, at the same time, very relaxing to Tympole.

But the most amazing thing of all was the enormous, glowing orb in the sky. The Tadpole Pokemon's eyes widened as it regarded the great, glowing ball of light that spread its orange glow over everything in sight. Tympole realized that his eyes were beginning to hurt and immediately looked away. He instinctively knew that he would go blind if he stared at it for too long.

_Is that the sun?_ he wondered as he refocused his eyes anywhere but at the awesome light. _It's bigger than I imagined, big enough to light up the entire world, I'll bet! It's amazing, truly amazing!_

Tympole couldn't believe that this was what he had been missing for all these years. And to think that an entire world of humans and Pokemon lived under this gigantic ball of blinding light!

He looked up once more, not at the sun, but at the sky. In his world, everything was enclosed – but in this world, this enormous red curtain, dotted by strange orange fluffy things, spread unopposed across the entire plane of existence, it seemed. There were no borders or limits – the sky spread on to infinity!

Volan suddenly glanced down and saw Tympole standing there, eyes as big as tennis balls as they tried and failed spectacularly to take in everything at once. Unconsciously, a smile spread across his face as he observed the Water-type staring at the big, wide world that seemed unremarkable to him, but had rendered Tympole completely awestruck.

_Humans take the world for granted, _Volan thought. _But Tympole's amazement – it's a reminder that not everyone gets to experience these things. Not everyone gets to feel the sun's warmth or hear the sounds of nature. It's a reminder that sometimes we humans need to stop and appreciate the simple things that the world has given us._

Another thought struck Volan at that moment. Why in Arceus' name should Tympole just go back to Wellspring Cave after seeing all of this for the first time? Why couldn't Tympole stay in the outside world and discover all it had to offer. The world was his Clamperl.

"Tympole," Volan said, making everyone turn to look at him. When Tympole himself turned to look at him – eyes squinted to keep out the brightness that he still hadn't fully adjusted to – the boy continued, "It's clear to me that you really like being out here. You do like it, don't you?"

The Tadpole Pokemon nodded vigorously. "Pole tym tym Tympole!" he chirped, grinning widely. His joy couldn't be contained.

"Well then," Volan replied, bending down on one knee to look directly at the Pokemon. "Why don't you come with me? You'll see all of Unova and make a lot of new friends. What do you say?"

Tympole was momentarily silent. Then…

"TYYYYYM!" he screeched, leaping four feet off of the ground jubilantly. Volan couldn't help but grin at the huge smile stretching across Tympole's face as he hopped up and down, chirping to himself excitedly.

"I guess that's a yes," Thrin said dryly, chuckling along with Hugh at Tympole's exuberance.

"Well then, how can I deny him?" Volan asked with a laugh, turning back to Tympole. The little guy's eyes were shining.

Volan picked up Tympole and stood up, holding the spherical Water-type in his hands. "There's only one condition," the Gurei boy told him. "You're going to need a name if you want to come with me. I can't just call you 'Tympole' all the time."

Tympole's smile faded and was replaced by a confused look. _Why not?_ he seemed to be asking. _Everyone calls me that._

"A name will give you a little more individuality, make you a little more unique," Volan explained with a soft smile. "Now let's see… why don't I call you Rickie?"

The newly dubbed Rickie chirped happily and wagged his finned tail. He liked the sound of that.

Volan took a spare Poke Ball from his pocket and held it up before his new Pokemon. "Welcome to the family, Rickie," he said warmly, and gently tapped the Tadpole Pokemon on the head with the capsule. It opened and sucked Rickie in with a flash of light. After a moment of struggling, the Poke Ball stopped.

"Congratulations," Thrin said to her brother, patting him on the back. "Looks like we have a new member of the team. Nice job, brother."

Volan stuffed the newly occupied Poke Ball into his pocket along with Grunge's. Bernice trilled happily and affectionately nibbled his ear. She seemed to be looking forward to spending more time with their new friend.

"I might as well head back to the breeding center and give my sister's Purrloin back," Hugh said. The cat-like Pokemon purred in his arms.

"Best wishes," Volan said kindly, raising his hand in farewell.

"Right back at you," Hugh replied, imitating the gesture. He then walked away in an easterly direction, back to where Bianca and his sister waited.

And once again, Volan and Thrin were left alone to continue their journey.

"Should we call it a day?" Thrin asked, gesturing to the bright red sky. "The sun's setting already. We spent the rest of the day fighting Team Plasma in Wellspring Cave!"

Volan squinted and looked indirectly at the sun. "I'd say we still have a little bit of time before nightfall," he said, shaking his head in disagreement. "I think we should head south to Nacrene City and cover as much distance as we can before setting up camp for the night."

Thrin considered, then finally nodded. "Let's go then," she conceded. "But first thing tomorrow morning, we're working on Luna's Psybeam attack."

Her brother simply rolled his eyes and grinned before heading south, his sister tagging along at his heels.

-.-.-.-.-.

"Luna, Psybeam!" Thrin called for the twentieth time.

"Bernice, block with Air Cutter!" Volan retorted.

A weak bolt of jagged, multicolored lightning erupted from Luna's forehead, but as with all the rest, Bernice's Air Cutter tore right through it and slammed into the Psychic-type, throwing her into the dirt with a whimper.

"Muuuuun… _I'll never get the hang of this…_" Luna whined as she floated up off the ground again.

Bernice landed beside her and said, "Pidoooove, dooove! _You will, just keep practicing._"

Thrin sighed and slumped down to the ground. "We've been trying and trying, but Luna still can't muster up enough power," she said. "Do you think Luna's still not skilled enough to learn Psybeam?"

"Technically, she has learned it," Volan pointed out, holding out a hand and pulling his sister onto her feet again. "But she just needs time to grow stronger and learn a little more. Luna will be blasting Bernice out of the sky in no time."

The Pidove, overhearing this, winced noticeably. "Doooove… _That certainly doesn't sound encouraging…_"

Thrin, however, smiled. "Alright," she said, giving in. "But let's stop training for now. We've been doing this since breakfast, and it's almost noon."

Volan checked his cross-transceiver and saw that, indeed, it was nearing the middle of the day. "Time flies, I guess," he muttered. "Let's take a break and have lunch while we have the opportunity."

The two siblings decided to camp out on the spot – they had gotten in a bit of walking after waking up that morning. Right now, they were in a sunny clearing in the middle of Route 3, underneath a small grove of tall trees that provided ample shade. A large lake was also nearby, sparkling under the bright sunlight. Apart from them, the immediate vicinity was completely devoid of Trainers.

Or so they thought, anyway. Just as they started on their diminishing food supplies, and the Pokemon on their individual bowls of Pokemon food, a voice suddenly spoke up. "Excuse me, are you two Trainers?"

Volan and Thrin's heads instantly shot up and turned in the direction of their unexpected visitor. The boy that stood nearby was tall, about Volan's height, but noticeably… uh, heavier. He had bright red hair, and was wearing an equally bright red sleeveless shirt and khaki shorts. A strange, black-and-white equine Pokemon stood next to him.

"Well what do we look like, lawyers?" Thrin said jokingly.

"What gave it away? The fact that we're two teenagers alone on Route 3 or the five Pokemon eating with us?" Volan added sarcastically, his tone far different from Thrin's jovial one.

Said girl elbowed him in the ribs. "Be nice," she scolded him, before turning back to the boy. "How can we help you?"

The Trainer jerked a thumb and pointed to himself. "My name's Stephan!" he proclaimed. "I'm on a journey with my partner, Blitzle, to win the Unova League!"

"Bliiiitzle!" the Electric-type whinnied, rearing up on its hind legs and waving its hooves around.

Despite himself, Volan took out his Pokedex to scan the zebra-like creature. "**Blitzle, the Electrified Pokemon. Its mane shines when it discharges electricity. Not only does it flash its mane in order to communicate with its herd, but it can even catch lightning with it during thunderstorms, when they appear en masse. This individual is a male with the Motor Drive ability. His attacks are Double Kick, Quick Attack, Flame Charge, and Shock Wave.**"

"So, what does this have to do with us?" the Gurei boy asked, staring through his glasses at Stephan. The larger boy was taken slightly aback by the icy look in Volan's eyes.

"What's his problem?" Stephan asked, ignoring Volan's question.

Thrin waved a dismissive hand and replied, "He isn't comfortable around strangers. Anyway, why are you here talking to us? Aren't you heading to Nacrene City?" she added, making an educated guess.

Stephan nodded. "You hit the nail on the head," he chuckled. "Yeah, I'm heading for Nacrene City. What about the two of you?"

"Yes, we're going there as well," Volan replied, trying to at least be polite.

"Well then, why don't we go there together?" Stephan asked, sitting down comfortably. "It hasn't been easy, travelling alone with no-one but my Pokemon for company. So when I saw you guys, I thought, 'Hey, why not join them? Maybe we can travel together for a bit!' You know?"

Volan was surprised at, and definitely opposed to, Stephan's sudden proposition. But before he could say a word, Thrin turned to him and asked, "We've traveled all this way with both Hugh and Bianca for company, remember? You've made friends with them just fine, right? And you have to admit, a journey's much livelier when you're travelling with a group. So why can't he come along?"

"Ugh, fine," Volan growled, taking his frustrations out on an apple by taking a savage bite out of it. He chewed for a bit, then swallowed and continued, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to have another partner."

Stephan whooped and pumped his fist. "Alright!" he cheered. "I promise you guys won't regret a thing. I'll be the best travelling buddy ever! So, what are your names?"

Thrin was caught slightly off guard by the sudden question. "Uh, I'm Thrin Gurei. Nice to meet you, Stephan."

Volan piled on after a moment, "Volantes Gurei, Volan for short. A pleasure, Stephan."

What happened next was rather unexpected. Stephan teared up while a wobbly smile spread across his face, then he laughed long and loud while reaching out with his arms to envelop the two Gureis in an Ursaring hug.

"You guys are the best!" Stephan said, sniffling. "You're the first people I met since I started my journey that have pronounced my name right!"

Volan struggled to free himself from Stephan's surprisingly strong grip. "What… do you… mean?" he asked, straining to get adequate oxygen in order to speak.

At last, Stephan let go and complained, "Everyone I meet gets my name wrong! They always call me Steven or Stuven or something like that. You might not think it's a big deal, but after hearing someone call you the wrong name time and again gets really frustrating, you know?"

"I don't… see why your name's so hard to pronounce," Volan said, rubbing his throat and coughing lightly. "It's a simple enough name to say. 'Stephan'. What's so hard about that?"

Tears welled in Stephan's eyes again, and he draped an arm around Volan's shoulders. "Y-You're the b-best, Volan!" he wailed, sobbing tears of happiness.

Meanwhile, Thrin looked rather put off by his odd behavior. "Anyway…" she said, prompting Stephan to wipe away his tears and compose himself. "If you're going to travel with us, then we'll have to introduce you to the rest of the group. This is Oliver and Luna!" She wrapped her arms around her Tepig and Munna and hugged them, and the two Pokemon themselves gave Stephan cheery greetings.

Volan cleared his throat and put his piece of fruit down for the moment. "I might as well do the same… Anyway, this is my best friend, Bernice" – the Pidove fluttered down to his shoulder and trilled politely – "this is Grunge" – the Garbodor subsequently looked up from his food and grunted a hello – "and the newest member of Team Volan, Rickie."

The Tympole, fascinated with the new arrivals, bounced forward and looked up at Stephan, then Blitzle. Both of them greeted Rickie in their own way, with the boy patting him on the head and Blitzle sniffing him curiously.

"Have you done any training with this little guy?" Stephan asked Volan, pointing at Rickie. "You said he was your newest Pokemon, after all."

"No, we haven't trained yet," Volan replied. "I was hoping we'd be able to do so with Luna after lunch. He might be close to learning Bubblebeam soon."

"Tympole!" chirped Rickie, leaping onto Volan's lap and snuggling between his leg and his waist.

Stephan had a determined fire in his eyes. "Well, why not train with me and Blitzle?" he challenged. "We haven't done any training all day! Blitzle's getting a little anxious."

The zebra-like Electric-type neighed in agreement and pawed the ground impatiently.

"Want to battle Blitzle after lunch, Rickie?" Volan asked, and the Tympole replied with an excited nod and a chirp.

"Mind if I eat with you guys? I have my own food," Stephan said. This time, both Thrin and Volan said yes.

-.-.-.-.-.

The battle soon got underway. Thrin and the other four Pokemon sat in the shade while Volan and Rickie faced Stephan and Blitzle. The younger Gurei was acting as the judge.

"Remember, Rickie," Volan said gently. "You're fighting an Electric-type, which means they have a type advantage. Just do your best out there and don't worry if you lose, got it?"

Rickie responded with an affirmative nod. "Tym Tympole!" he said determinedly. "_I'm not going to lose!_"

"Ready when you are, Volan!" Stephan called out, clearly ready to roll. He looked really pumped up about this battle, or so Volan observed. The Gurei boy turned his head toward where Thrin waited and gave her a nod.

She got his cue and stood up. "This will be a one-on-one battle between Rickie and Blitzle!" she announced. "The match will be over when one of the two is unable to battle! Because Volan has a type disadvantage, I'll allow him the first move! Now, let the battle begin!"

"Rickie, open up with Supersonic!" shouted Volan, not taking any risks. It was his strategy to make sure Blitzle was unable to fight back before attacking relentlessly.

"Pole!" cried Rickie, before inflating his cheeks and releasing a ring-shaped sonic pulse at Blitzle. The ring made a high-pitched whine as it flew towards its target.

"Blitzle, dodge and use Quick Attack!" Stephan commanded.

"Bliiiiitz!" the Electric-type replied, absorbing white light and then releasing it in a streak behind him, just as Bernice did when she used Quick Attack. But right now, the equine Pokemon was closing distance fast between himself and Rickie.

Volan smiled as an idea for a counterattack sprung into his head. "Protect yourself with Bubble, Rickie!" he yelled.

Rickie then commenced blowing a stream of bubbles in front of him. The bubbles were slow and weak and served no purpose other than to help protect Rickie. Blitzle plowed right through the minefield and immediately began to slow down as the bubbles popped with surprising force, stinging Blitzle repeatedly. By the time he made his way through, he had lost a lot of his speed.

"Now, Rickie! Supersonic!" cried Volan. The Tympole repeated what he had done before – he released a single ring of sound toward the momentarily helpless Blitzle. This time, it swept right past Blitzle, and the high-pitched ringing noise it made scrambled the Electric-type's senses thoroughly. He whinnied and bucked aimlessly, completely disoriented.

Volan grinned at the sight of his helpless foe. "Way to go, Rickie! Now blast him with Mud Shot!"

"Tym tym!" chirped the Tympole, once again inflating his cheeks. This time, he spat out a bullet-shaped projectile of mud that sped toward Blitzle at frightening speed. It slammed into the zebra-like Pokemon with a small explosion, throwing him onto the ground at Stephan's feet.

"You okay, Blitzle?" Stephan demanded. Blitzle staggered roughly to his feet and flashed his mane in an intimidating manner. It appeared that the Supersonic's disorienting effect had worn off.

"Alright, now let's show them a Shock Wave!" his Trainer commanded with a confident grin.

"Bliiiitz!" said the Electrified Pokemon, flashing his mane one more time. A lightning bolt flew upwards from the highest point on his jagged hairstyle, disappearing into the sky. In the next instant, a series of small thunderbolts began to strike the ground at random intervals.

"Avoid them all, Rickie!" Volan said desperately, but he knew it was no use – Shock Wave was an attack that kept the enemy on edge, and then nailed them without fail. Nevertheless, Rickie hopped along the battlefield with surprising speed and finesse, keeping calm as he dodged and rolled around each and every bolt that struck.

However, the inevitable happened a second later – the biggest lightning bolt lanced down from the sky and speared Rickie dead on, sending dozens of volts surging through his tiny body. When it was over, the Tympole was burnt badly with smoke rising from him.

"Can you still fight, Rickie? Or should we give in?" Volan asked.

Rickie shook off the pain and looked at his master determinedly. "Tym Tympole tym! _It's not over until I drop!_" he protested, turning back to the battle.

"That's the spirit," Volan said, understanding not the words but the tone. "Now, why don't we calm Blitzle down with Sing?"

Rickie smiled at the good idea, inflated his cheeks yet again, and opened his mouth. However, it wasn't a sonic pulse or mud projectile that came from his mouth – what did come out was a sweet, clear melody that echoed across the battlefield. On the sidelines, the other Pokemon became drowsy, yawning and rubbing their eyes. Blitzle, who got the full blast of it, simply closed his eyes and slumped to the ground, asleep in an instant.

"Blitzle, no!" cried Stephan.

Volan smirked. "All right, Rickie, give Blitzle two good Mud Shots while he's down!"

"Pole Tympole!" the Water-type replied, puffing up his cheeks as far as they'd go. "Pole! Pole!" he cried, spitting out two Mud Shots in quick succession with all the force he could muster.

Bam! Bam!

A cloud of smoke and dirt filled the battlefield as both shots exploded. Blitzle came flying out of the cloud with a cry of pain, and hit the earth painfully with a loud thud. Volan waited for the Electric-type to get back up, but he didn't.

"Looks like Blitzle's unable to battle!" cheered Thrin. "And that means the match goes to Volan and Rickie!"

"Pole! Pole! Tympole!" chirped Rickie excitedly, bouncing up with a stroke of his tail on each word.

"You were amazing, Rickie!" Volan enthused, picking up the ecstatic Tympole. Rickie squirmed in his hands, too happy to stay still.

Stephan walked over after recalling Blitzle into his Poke Ball. "Wow, Volan. You're some Trainer. You didn't even do any training with that little squirt, and you managed to beat Blitzle, who not only has more experience but a type advantage to boot!"

The larger boy stuck out his hand. Volan warily eyed it for a couple of seconds before reaching out and shaking it. "Thanks, Stephan," he replied, with just a _little bit_ less ice in his voice than usual. "Blitzle was quite powerful. I think you might come in handy on our journey after all."

Thrin, who had been watching their exchange from the sidelines, joined them suddenly. "Now that that's over and done with – nice job, by the way, both of you – should we head back on the road to Nacrene City? If we start walking now, we should be able to get there just before sunset."

"Sounds good to me!" said Stephan, cheerfully. "What do you say, Volan?"

The Gurei boy just shrugged and smiled. "Doesn't matter to me," he replied. "I do think it's a good idea, though, so why not?"

Volan and Thrin recalled all of their Pokemon, except for Bernice of course, and packed up their things before strolling in the general direction of the main road to Nacrene City. Once more, they were joined by a third Trainer, this time Stephan.

They were quiet as they walked. Volan furtively glanced back at their newest companion, who was admiring the scenery in idle appreciation.

_You know, Stephan might not be that bad,_ Volan admitted to himself. _Am I really being too rough on everyone I meet, simply because I won't – no, I __**can't**__ – trust them? Or does Stephan simply pique my curiosity?_

The boy would probably never change his mistrustful attitude towards strangers. But he thought in the back of his mind that he could probably make an exception, just for Stephan.

-.-.-.-.-.

**NOTE: School's started, so chapters will come at a slower rate.**

**Volan has a new friend to call his own! Rickie the Tympole is his name! By the way, I've named him 'Rickie' after the Richter scale, since his evolved forms can cause earthquakes.**

**Not to mention the appearance of a new character, Stephan! That guy's the greatest, his Pokemon are so bad-arse and its hilarious how ticked off he can get when someone says his name wrong. I was inspired to add him into the story when his Sawk kicked Cilan's Pansage's butt. Huzzah for Stephan.**

**Stephan: "Why don't you be a pal and review? AND GET MY NAME RIGHT!"**

**Chapter Question #6****: Pokemon X and Y are coming out in October! Which version will you get?**

**I'm getting Y, because Yveltal's freaking awesome.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Tympole, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubble, Supersonic, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**


	17. Don George's Battle Club

**_Chapter 16 – Don George's Battle Club_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan, Thrin, and Hugh finally exited Wellspring Cave, with Tympole tagging along. The Water-type was so enthralled by the world outside that he agreed to join Volan under the new name of Rickie in order to see more of it. After parting ways with Hugh and the rescued Purrloin, the siblings did some training the next day with Thrin's Munna. However, they soon ran into another Trainer by the name of Stu – I mean, Stephan. After battling him with Rickie and defeating his Blitzle, Volan reluctantly agreed to let Stephan join them on their journey, harboring a secret curiosity about the young Trainer.**

-.-.-.-.-.

"Finally, Nacrene City!" sighed Thrin as they walked past the gate and found themselves in that particular settlement. "I'm starving! And tired. And I probably need a shower, too…"

Both Volan and Stephan could agree with her on all counts. They and their Pokemon were in need of rest, as well as a filling meal. Their food supplies were almost gone, and needed to be replaced. All of these needs, and more, could thankfully be fulfilled by visiting the Nacrene Pokemon Center.

The Pokemon Center was found on the southwestern side of town, easily distinguishable as always by its red roof and neon sign. When the trio walked through the automatic doors and were greeted by the refreshing air-conditioned atmosphere, they found that Nurse Joy was happy to give their Pokemon a check-up as well as to give them all rooms for the next few nights. Volan had a feeling that they'd be in Nacrene City for at least two days.

Not only did they have a Unova League Gym in this city, which Volan was looking forward to challenging, they also had a Museum of Natural Pokemon History. The Gurei boy absolutely loved anything to do with the ancient past, especially the prehistoric Pokemon said to have ruled the land in those far-gone times. Yes, Volan could not wait to check out the museum.

Also, Stephan had also mentioned something called the "Battle Club". After being questioned on the subject, the boy had explained that there were Battle Clubs all over Unova, and they were managed by a man named Don George. Apparently, this man was the curator of the Battle Clubs, and occasionally held tournaments related to them in different cities.

Stephan hadn't done a very thorough job of explaining any of this, but Volan was curious to find out for himself anyways.

Right now, thought, they were in the lobby of the Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy had already given them their Poke Balls and room keys, and they were debating amongst themselves over what to do next.

"Let's eat!" Stephan demanded. "I haven't had a decent meal since I visited Striaton City!"

"No, I think we need sleep," Volan argued. "We've been doing nothing but walking and training for days. A comfortable bed is something we need right now."

Thrin sighed at the two of them. Stephan got worked up and often frustrated when he got into an argument, while Volan maintained a sort of annoyed calmness as could be expected from him, which seemed to tick Stephan off even more. Finally, the girl shoved herself in between them before things could get out of hand.

"Come on, you guys, act your age," she scolded them. "Stephan and I can get something to eat right now. If you're not hungry, Volan, then I can't speak for you anyways. You can skip dinner and go right to bed if you want."

Volan nodded at her, his annoyance diminishing. "Alright then. I guess I'll see you in the morning."

The other two said "Goodnight" in unison before walking toward the cafeteria. Volan watched them go before heading for the door that would lead to his room.

Before he entered, though, he suddenly thought it would be a good idea to call his mother before he turned in for the night. He had no idea if Emily Gurei was still at Professor Juniper's, though, so he decided to call the Professor and ask if she was indeed still staying there.

Making his way over to the video phones, Volan rustled in his pocket for change. He found the correct amount of P and slotted them in, then dialed Professor Juniper's number. The person who answered was none other than the woman herself.

"Volan, hi!" she said cheerfully, after taking a moment to recognize him. "How're you and your sister doing on your journey so far?"

"Rather well," Volan said with a smile. "Thrin and Oliver are getting along perfectly, and we've made a few new friends since we left your lab."

The professor chuckled. "That's good. I assume you're going to want to talk to your mother?" Volan nodded, and Professor Juniper waved farewell before leaving the screen.

Soon enough, Volan's mother had appeared on the other end. She looked positively delighted to see him again. "Hello, Volan dear!" she said happily. "Are you and Thrin enjoying yourselves and staying safe?"

Bernice trilled a greeting from her perch on her master's shoulder as Volan replied, "Yes, as much as possible. You see…"

He gave his mother the condensed version of what had happened since they last talked, conveniently leaving out the fact he had almost gotten killed in Wellspring Cave. Ignorance was bliss, after all.

"So you're in Nacrene City right now?" his mother asked when he had finished.

Volan nodded and responded, "Yes, I was just about to get some sleep when I decided that it would be a good idea to call you again and assure you that I'm still alive." He chuckled nervously, trying to make it seem like a joke.

Luckily, Emily chuckled along with him. "I'm glad to hear it. How's your sister doing?"

"As good as ever," Volan stated. "We're behaving ourselves, don't worry."

"Oh, that reminds me," Emily suddenly said, changing the subject. "What kinds of Pokemon have you caught since you last called?"

Volan hemmed and hawed. "I don't know. Are you sure you wouldn't rather wait until we come home again to find out?" he asked, grinning.

"Well, it would be a little less of a shock if you came home with a Hydreigon nipping at your heels!" his mother replied with an equally wide grin. She suddenly looked behind her in response to something only she could hear, then turned back to the screen and explained, "Sounds like Aurea's Minccino is up to its old tricks again. Call me again soon, okay?"

Volan smiled and said farewell, then cut the connection. "Glad to see Mom's doing all right, huh Bernice?"

"Pidoooove!" the Flying-type agreed, bobbing her head.

The boy yawned and stretched out his arms tiredly. "I'm beat. Why don't we get some sleep? I was hoping we could check out the Battle Club tomorrow with Thrin and Stephan."

Bernice seemed to think this was a good idea. Volan stroked her head affectionately, then headed for the door again, riffling through his pockets for his room key. _Don't tell me it's lost!_ Volan thought desperately, with a silent groan.

-.-.-.-.-.

"So this is the Battle Club," Thrin said, gazing up at the building that her and the others stood before. It was a rather large, official-looking building with the Unova League symbol emblazoned on it. In her personal opinion, it looked like a cross between a Pokemon Center and a Gym.

It was relatively late in the morning. Volan, Thrin and Stephan had all gotten a good night's sleep, taken much-needed showers, and eaten breakfast in the cafeteria. Because they would be staying in Nacrene City for a while, they felt it was unnecessary to stock up on supplies just yet. Right after eating, they had walked to the other side of town where the Battle Club stood alone in all its glory.

They walked through the sliding doors and found themselves in a Pokemon Center-like atmosphere, complete with video phones and plush armchairs to sit down in. The only thing different was that the walls and floor were blue. Instead of a counter, there was a large set of double doors, again with the Unova League symbol painted on them.

The room was empty when they walked in. "Hmm, I pictured it to be more crowded," Stephan commented.

"Shut up and listen," Volan hissed, pointing to the doors on the other side of the room. Indeed, there were faint sounds coming from behind them.

Thrin walked a couple of steps toward where a large map of the Battle Club's interior was displayed. "That's probably the stadium where the Pokemon battles are held," she said, scrutinizing the sign.

"Awesome!" Stephan enthused. "Sounds like a battle's going on there already!"

"That's right, young fella!"

All three of them, as well as Bernice, jumped at the unexpected voice. The Trainers simultaneously turned around to find a middle-aged, gruff-looking man staring them down. He wore a grey muscle shirt and a pair of athletic shorts, as well as a stern expression. Volan stared at him right back, refusing to be intimidated.

"The name's Don George," the man said in his gravelly voice. "I'm the owner of this here Battle Club, as well as all the others around Unova. I'm here visiting Nacrene City in order to see how much the Trainers are enjoying this Battle Club!"

"Um, well, this is our first time here," Thrin explained nervously.

Don George guffawed heartily. "Well then, young lady, allow me to show you all around!" He cuffed both Volan and Stephan on their shoulders, making them both flinch, and led them over to the stadium doors with Thrin tailing them.

"Now, what're yer names?" Don George asked casually, surprising them all with the question.

"Volantes, Volan for short," replied said boy.

"Thrin," his sister added.

"I'm Stephan," the other boy finished.

Don George laughed again. "Pleasure to meet you all, Volan, Thrin, and Steven!" he chortled.

"Here we go…" muttered Stephan, to the amusement of Volan and Thrin.

The stadium, when they entered, was very similar to the battlefields in both Professor Juniper's lab and the Striaton Gym – it was large and covered with dirt, with white lines marked all around the borders. It was set in a huge, greenhouse-like room, with massive windows covering the walls and ceiling. A crowd of about two dozen Trainers circled the battlefield, where another two Trainers faced off.

Volan swept his eyes around the battlefield. The Trainers themselves were rather unremarkable – the boy on the left had jet-black hair and wore a baseball cap on his head, and had a determined, fired-up expression on his face. The other Trainer, the one on the right, had pea-green hair and an orange coat, who looked rather bored.

The Pokemon under the command of the Murkrow-haired boy was one that Volan was very well familiar with – a Pidove. The Pokemon on the right side, on the other hand, was one that he was very, _very_ well familiar with, almost _too_ familiar. It was bright blue and vaguely human-shaped, with a crown-shaped crest on its head. It floated in the air and launched its attacks while smiling cutely all the while.

But there was nothing cute about it to Volan. Its grin looked downright chilling, and he saw a murderous glint in its eyes where everyone else saw mere determination.

It was a Frillish, just like the one that had nearly drowned – and eaten – him six years ago.

The Gurei boy grew pale and began to feel nauseous. He swayed, and Thrin noticed immediately what was bothering him. She supported him in case he was in danger of fainting, allowing him to lean on her slightly.

"What's up with him?" Stephan asked, noticing it as well. Thrin turned her head toward him and whispered, "A Frillish almost killed him when he was ten."

That was all Stephan needed to know. He walked around Thrin and to the other side of Volan, supporting him as well.

The three of them, as well as the crowd surrounding them, watched as the green-haired boy's Frillish knocked the other Trainer's Pidove out of the sky with a Water Pulse attack. Bernice gulped and edged closer to Volan's head.

The black-haired boy recalled his Pidove into its Poke Ball while the green-haired one did the same with his Frillish. _Thank Arceus,_ Volan thought, relieved. He stood up straighter and without the support of Thrin and Stephan, while the two Trainers confronted one another.

"I suppose your Pikachu and Snivy are okay," the green-haired boy said dismissively. "But your other Pokemon are a joke… kind of like their Trainer."

"What was that?!" demanded the other boy, looking as if he were about to lash out and punch his opponent. Two others – a girl with brown skin and purple hair, and a young man wearing a vaguely familiar-looking suit – jumped out of the crowd and restrained him.

As the three pushed past Volan and Co. to get to the door, Volan noticed an unfamiliar yellow Pokemon leap from nowhere and onto the losing boy's shoulder. He took out his Pokedex out of curiosity, but before he could switch it on, the trio and the yellow Pokemon had already left the stadium.

"That was a mighty fine battle, Trip!" exclaimed Don George, clapping.

"Thank you, Don George," the green-haired boy said with a sincere smile. "Is there anyone else I can battle before I leave? I want to train up my Timburr and Servine for my next Gym battle."

"Hmm," Don George mused. "I might have just the guy."

To Volan's shock, the burly man's hand reached through the crowd, clamped around his shoulder – startling Bernice into switching her perch to her master's head – and pulled him out into the open.

The two Trainers stared into each others' eyes – one curiously, and one icily. "Volantes here caught my eye right away," Don George explained. "All my years of managing the Battle Club have taught me how to tell how strong a Trainer is from just one glance. And I can tell you that this one has mighty potential."

Volan glanced up at the man, who gave him a jovial wink. He then refocused his gaze on Trip, who looked even more interested in him after listening to Don George's words.

"So," Trip said conversationally. "Are you willing to battle my Servine and Timburr?" He held up two Poke Balls.

"As long as it's not Frillish," Volan replied quietly.

Trip gave Volan a quizzical glance, but he just shrugged and let it slide. "What Pokemon will you be using?" he asked instead.

Volan dug in his pocket and grabbed Rickie's and Grunge's Poke Balls. "My Tympole and Garbodor," he responded. "I want to train him up for my next Gym battle as well."

"Fair enough," Trip replied with a nod. "I've never fought either of those before, so this should be interesting."

Both Trainers took their positions at either side of the battlefield while Don George took his own position as referee. "This'll be a one-on-one battle, over when either Trainer's Pokemon is unable to continue battling. The battle begins when the Trainers have released their Pokemon. Now, go!"

"Timburr, you're up!" shouted Trip, tossing his Poke Ball. The short Fighting-type appeared in a flash, slamming his log onto the ground with a cocky smirk on his face. "Timburr, tim!" he grunted.

"Rickie, no mercy!" said Volan, releasing his own Pokemon. In an instant, Rickie was hopping around the battlefield, taking in the sight of the new environment, the crowd of humans, and the strange Pokemon with the large brown thing by its side.

Trip quickly called out an attack before Volan could. "Use Strength, Timburr!"

"Burr!" cried the Muscular Pokemon, grabbing his lumber. The log became infused with a fiery red aura as he swung it around, preparing to pummel Rickie into the ground.

"Stop Timburr in his tracks with Supersonic!" retorted Volan.

"POOOOOLE!" screeched Rickie, puffing out his cheeks and releasing a sonic wave at Timburr.

Just as the Fighting-type was about to finish his last swing and drive his log home, the piercing, disorienting sound washed over him. The Supersonic effectively confused Timburr, causing him to lose his grip on his lumber and throw it across the battlefield. It landed uselessly on the dirt floor.

"No, Timburr!" Trip cried, suddenly panicked.

"Give him a Mud Shot, Rickie!" Volan ordered. Rickie complied instantly, spitting out a projectile of mud that flew through the air at blinding speed.

Timburr was too busy seeing stars and wobbling around uncertainly to dodge. The Mud Shot impacted against his face and sent him flying. He exclaimed "Burr!" each time he hit the ground, finally skidding to a stop at Trip's feet.

"Retrieve your log, Timburr!" called Trip, trying to get a fighting chance again. The Fighting-type immediately got up and ran toward the lumber laying on the ground some distance away.

"No you don't," Volan muttered. "Rickie, slow him down with Bubble!"

Rickie instantly sprang into action, hopping across the battlefield with powerful flicks of his tail. When he got close enough, he blew a succession of clear bubbles that swiftly floated between Timburr and his log.

Timburr stopped as he was suddenly faced with a two dozen reflections of himself. He tried to push his way through the bubbles, but recoiled when one popped and stung him.

"Use Bulk Up to get through the bubbles!" Trip called when his Pokemon tried again with a similar result.

At his Trainer's cry, Timburr suddenly flexed and made his arm and chest muscles bulge. He ran through the minefield of bubbles, this time without even wincing when they popped violently. Volan watched in dismay as the bulked-up Pokemon successfully retrieved his lumber.

"Mud Shot, Rickie!" the Gurei boy cried.

"Use Strength, Timburr!" Trip retorted.

Both Pokemon sprang into action. Rickie inflated his cheeks and fired three Mud Shots in quick succession, but Timburr's glowing red log – aided by his increased strength, thanks to Bulk Up – smashed the mud aside like it was nothing.

"Burr!" the Muscular Pokemon shouted as he swung his log one more time. The last Mud Shot was deflected, this time straight at Rickie. It slammed into the Tympole with amazing force, sending him rolling across the ground.

"Pole…" Rickie muttered, stopping his roll with effort and trying to ignore the pain.

Volan gritted his teeth at seeing the Water-type in such bad condition. "Sing Timburr to sleep!" he commanded.

"Rock Throw, Timburr!" replied Trip.

The Fighting-type smashed his log on the ground and picked up the resulting rock, then whipped it at Rickie. Even as the Tympole opened his mouth to Sing, the rock flew into his mouth and remained wedged there, stopping the lullaby before it started.

"Mmf!" he mumbled, trying to speak with the rock in his mouth. "Mmmmmfff!"

Trip smiled calmly at the sight of Rickie's helplessness. "Timburr, finish with Dynamicpunch," he said with equal calm.

"Burr!" shouted Timburr, throwing his log aside and jumping into the air. His fist glowed red with intense power as he flew towards Rickie. The Dynamicpunch hit home, shattering the rock and knocking Rickie out.

"Rickie is unable to battle," Don George announced gruffly, "and the winner is Trip's Timburr!"

The crowd of Trainers cheered and clapped as Volan bent down to pick up the unconscious Tympole. "You did good, Rickie," he murmured, taking out his Poke Ball and reabsorbing Rickie into it for a long rest.

On the other side of the stadium, Trip congratulated his Timburr for a job well done and then recalled him. The pea-haired boy then looked across the field to Volan, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"You know," he called over. "Your Tympole isn't actually that bad."

Volan just smirked back. "Right back at you for your Timburr. I guess Rickie just needs a little more training."

"I'd recommend evolving it," Trip replied with a shrug. "Evolving your Pokemon to make them stronger is basic."

The Gurei boy simply shrugged. "Eventually," he responded. "Now, next round?"

Trip's smirk grew wider. "Thought you'd never ask. Go, my Servine!"

The Poke Ball he threw opened in a flash of blue light, revealing its occupant – a green, serpentine Pokemon that looked like a sleeker, more elegant version of Snivy. "Servine!" it called out confidently, folding its tiny arms.

Volan decided to scan it. He activated his Pokedex, which said; "**Servine, the Grass Snake Pokemon, and the evolved form of Snivy. It moves along the ground as if sliding, sinking into the shadows of thick foliage to avoid attacks. Its swift movements befuddle its foes before it attacks with powerful whipping techniques. This young male has the Overgrow ability, and the attacks Cut, Leaf Tornado, Wrap, and Slam.**"

"Alright, a Grass-type. This should be no trouble at all," Volan said to himself, taking out Grunge's Poke Ball. "Grunge, take him down!"

The Garbodor appeared with his signature gurgling bellow, which immediately silenced the Trainers watching. Volan saw that on the sidelines, Stephan and even Don George looked impressed.

"Are you Trainers both ready?" the man asked, and earned nods from both Trip and Volan. "Then, begin Round 2!"

"Servine, Slam!" Trip called immediately, once again cutting Volan off. The Grass Snake lowered its body to the ground and slithered forward at amazing speed, straight at Grunge.

"Use Pound!" shouted Volan.

"Odor!" roared Grunge, curling the fingers of his right hand into a fist and swinging it at Servine in a devastating downward blow. Unable to change direction in time, Servine was crushed under Grunge's fist.

"Leaf Tornado!" cried Trip.

Suddenly, Grunge's fist began to vibrate, and it was then lifted off of Servine as a powerful whirlwind of leaves erupted from the Grass-type's tail. The Garbodor's fist was pushed right into his face with amazing force!

"You alright, Grunge?" asked Volan concernedly.

"Garbo!" grunted the Poison-type, shaking off his shock.

"Great," Volan said, concern evaporating. "Now use Body Slam!"

Grunge then leapt into the air before coming down on the still-recovering Servine. "Garrrrrr-BODOR!"

"Dodge it!" Trip ordered, and Servine easily slipped away as Grunge's feet smashed into the ground, creating a small crater. "Now use another Leaf Tornado!"

"Servine!" he cried, as another huge whirlwind formed around his tail. When it built up to full power, he whipped his tail savagely at Grunge. The twister of leaves and wind hit hard, driving the Garbodor back a few paces.

"Stay strong, Grunge! Use Pound again!" called Volan.

"Dodge and Slam!" came Trip's reply.

Grunge's fist came down at Servine again, but the Grass-type slithered away with astounding swiftness and then came back with a powerful Slam attack. Cringing, the Garbodor lashed out again and again, but each of his attacks were dodged easily even as Servine continued to Slam him.

Volan gritted his teeth as Servine steadily wore down Grunge's stamina. _He's just too quick!_ he thought. _I need to slow him down somehow… slow him… that's it, perfect!_

"Finish this with Cut, Servine!" Trip ordered, already smiling in anticipation.

"Vine, Servine!" the Grass Snake replied, dashing forward so fast that he was a blur. The leaf on his tail lengthened and shined a bright blue even as he neared his target, ready to strike Grunge down.

"Alright, Grunge, use Poison Gas on yourself!" Volan commanded with a smug grin.

"Gar garbo!" replied the Poison-type, picking up on his master's plan. He raised his right arm and began to squirt toxic fumes into the air, which billowed into a cloud at first but then sank down to cloak him in poison. Soon, he was completely hidden by a curtain of purple toxins that began to spread across the floor around him.

Servine dashed into the cloud, tail blade at the ready, but there was no sound of him striking Grunge, no sudden cry of pain. Everything was silent except for the hiss of Poison Gas, which slowly stopped.

The purple cloud eventually faded, revealing Grunge standing over a pale Servine. The Grass-type shuddered continuously as he struggled to his feet, trying to fight off the poison he had inhaled.

"No, Servine!" Trip cried in dismay.

"Amazing work, Grunge!" said Volan, grinning. "Now, why don't we finish Servine off with Body Slam?"

"GARBODOR!" bellowed Grunge, leaping into the air. He turned two slow somersaults before coming in for a landing on top of Servine. And this time, the snake was too sick to avoid it.

The Garbodor struck like a meteor, throwing up a huge cloud of dirt and dust into the air. It hung in the air for about three seconds before settling to the ground and allowing everyone to see how the battle had ended.

Grunge calmly stepped away from the impact crater and off of the unconscious Servine. "Serrrrr…" he hissed pitifully.

"Servine's unable to battle," Don George announced. "Volan and Grunge are the winners!"

"BODOR!" roared Grunge, tipping his head back and giving a cry of victory. The multitude of Trainers watching clapped wildly. Bernice joined in, lifting off of Volan's shoulder and circling around while cooing excitedly.

"You did an awesome job, Grunge. Return for now and get some rest," Volan said, recalling the Poison-type back into his Poke Ball.

Across the battlefield, Trip did the same with Servine before approaching Volan. "I have to admit, you're a pretty good Trainer," he stated. "You've got a long way to go, of course… but as Don George said, you do have a lot of potential."

Volan wasn't sure how to respond to the pseudo-compliment. The way he had scorned the Murkrow-haired boy from earlier made Volan wary, but Trip seemed to respect him at least. The Gurei boy wondered if Trip was only respectful to Trainers who gave him a challenge, and a bully to the rest.

In the end, Volan decided that he could at least tolerate Trip for now. So he smiled and extended his hand. "You gave us the toughest fight we've had yet," he admitted. "I think you'll be a force to be reckoned with if we cross paths at the Unova League."

Trip shook his hand firmly and gave him a smirk. "My team and I are going to win the Unova League and beat the Champion. We can use all the training we can get, so I'd be glad to battle you and your Pokemon again sometime."

"Done," Volan said with a nod.

"I'm warning you, Volantes," the green-haired boy said ominously, with a widening of his grin. "Next time we battle, I'm going to squash you underfoot like a Wurmple."

Volan smirked even wider and replied smugly, "I hope you know that Wurmple have poisonous spines. If you're going to squash me, I'd watch out for those if I were you."

Don George, Thrin, and Stephan walked up just then. The former clapped both Trainers on the back while the latter two just gave their friend appraising looks.

"That was an excellent battle!" Don George told them. "My blood was pumpin' just watching the two of you! I'm hosting a Battle Club Tournament in Virbank City some time from now, and I'd be honored if you and yer Pokemon would compete in it. It'd be real exciting stuff to see how you've grown as Trainers by then!"

_A Battle Club Tournament in Virbank City, huh?_ thought Volan. _I've heard there's a Gym there as well. Maybe it would be worth my time to head there and really power up my Pokemon!_

"I'll keep that in mind," Trip said with a polite bow. "Goodbye, Don George. See you around, Volantes."

He then walked away from the battlefield and out the stadium doors without another word.

"He seems… interesting, to say the least," Thrin said uncertainly, indeed unsure of what to think of him.

"That might be so, but his Pokemon are really something!" Stephan said, pumping his fists. "I'd be fun to battle him sometime and see Blitzle and the others come out on top!"

Volan turned to the two of them. "What do you say we do some training before lunch?" he asked.

"Sounds good, Volan!" enthused Stephan, pumping his fist again.

Don George chose that moment to speak up. "If yer lookin' to do some trainin', then head to the outskirts of Pinwheel Forest. There're some tough wild Pokemon hangin' around there that'll give you some fierce battles!"

Volan smiled gratefully at the older man. He was certainly a huge help. "Thanks, Don George. I'll train hard and surprise you at the Battle Club Tournament!"

The three of them waved farewell and, to the stares of the other Trainers, walked out of the stadium and into the lobby.

"Where's Pinwheel Forest?" Thrin asked curiously. Volan took out his map and scrutinized it for a moment, then replied, "It's just west of the city. From the look of it, it's huge! It goes on for miles, apparently."

"Perfect!" Stephan cried. "Sounds like the best place to train! Volan, you want to train some more with me? I'd like to help your Tympole learn Bubblebeam, and Blitzle's ready to learn Thunder Wave!"

Volan smiled and nodded. "Let's stop by the Pokemon Center to get Rickie and Grunge healed first. Then we can replenish our food supplies and head off to Pinwheel Forest!"

-.-.-.-.-.

**Aaah, Trip. The champion of the National Pain in the Arse Tournament, three years running. Screw Ghetsis – Trip's a hundred times worse. It's also rather ironic that my least favorite character in the entire history of Pokemon is in possession of my second-favorite Pokemon of all time.**

**For those of you who are wondering why Trip isn't his usual rude self to Volan – well, I assume he only acts that way to Ash because he's beaten him several times and thus looks down on him for being weak. Thus, Trip treats Volan with a little bit more respect because the Gurei boy's a strong Trainer.**

**That's just my interpretation of it, anyway.**

**Trip: "Review. That's basic stuff."**

**Chapter Question #7****: Give me your honest opinion of Trip. Is there anyone out there who actually likes the guy?**

**I've made it pretty clear I dislike him. However, I will admit that he's a good Trainer, and at least he can be polite when he wants to. I'll give him that.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Tympole, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubble, Supersonic, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**


	18. N-igma at the Museum

_**Chapter 17 - N-igma at the Museum**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan, Thrin, and Stephan reached Nacrene City at sunset, spending the night in the Pokemon Center. Volan called his mother, Emily, via video phone, telling her about his journey so far and bringing her up to date on current events. The next morning, the trio decided to check out Don George's Battle Club, and were greeted by the man himself. Don George then set up a two-on-two battle between Volan and a powerful Trainer named Trip, who had previously defeated a jet-haired boy and his Pidove. Trip's Timburr defeated Rickie, and Grunge managed to defeat his Servine after that. Trip then complimented Volan on his battling skills, promising to fight him again some day and crush him in their next battle.**

-.-.-.-.-.

"Rickie, try it again!" Volan called out.

"You too, Blitzle!" ordered Stephan.

All three of them were training on the edges of Pinwheel Forest. Here, the trees weren't so thick, allowing lots of sunlight to wash over the boggy earth. Water and mud dominated this area, making walking through it a chore. However, the three Trainers had selected a relatively dry patch of land to train on.

"Tyyym… polepolepolepole!" screeched Rickie, blasting out a Bubble attack as hard as he could while aiming at Blitzle.

"Bliiiiitz!" neighed his opponent, discharging a blast of blue electricity from the peak of his mane.

Alas, neither attack was successful, or at least as successful as they were hoping them to be. Rickie's stamina rapidly wore out, and he abruptly stopped spitting bubbles. Blitzle's electric bolt popped the first few bubbles, but suddenly fizzled out. Both Pokemon dropped to their knees – whether they were proverbial or literal – and panted harshly, trying to get their breath back.

"Learning Thunder Wave is hard, huh Blitzle?" Stephan asked sheepishly, only getting a faint, tired whinny in response.

"Don't worry, Rickie, you'll be able to use Bubblebeam in no time at all," Volan encouraged.

"Pole… pole…" Rickie panted, taking deep breaths.

"The good thing is that you all did your best," Thrin said cheerfully. "That's what matters, right?"

Oliver and Bernice agreed with her with replies of "Pig, Tepig!" and "Pi-Pidooooove!"

Volan looked up at the sky. It was nearing noon, when the sun would be highest in the sky. "How about we take a break, and head back to Nacrene City for lunch?" he suggested.

At the mention of food, Rickie and Blitzle suddenly perked up. Both of them gave happy replies to Volan's idea even as their stomachs rumbled quietly. Chuckling a bit, their respective Trainers recalled them into their Poke Balls and began to slog through the marsh towards civilization.

"Ugh, what kinds of Pokemon could live like this?" Thrin complained, standing on one leg while picking wet grass off of her sock.

"Pokemon that like to work hard!" responded Stephan with a signature fist pump.

"Water, Ground, Bug, and Grass-types," Volan said matter-of-factly.

"In other words, not my kind of Pokemon," Thrin muttered. "I don't care what kinds of Pokemon I catch, as long as they're cute."

Stephan rolled his eyes. "My favorite types of Pokemon are those that are filled with the urge to battle and work at their goals," he said. "All of my Pokemon are those kinds of hard workers!"

"Speaking of which, what kinds of Pokemon do you have, besides Blitzle?" Volan asked curiously.

The larger boy held up two other Poke Balls. "I've got a Sawk and a Sewaddle," he bragged. "Both of them are really strong and would take your puny Tympole down in no time flat!"

Volan just shrugged. "I'll keep that in mind," he said, then added, "that is, until Rickie evolves."

The three teenagers kept up their good-natured bickering all throughout the walk towards Nacrene City. Meanwhile, a set of bright yellow eyes watched them from the safety of the swamp foliage while a pair of purple antennae picked up their scent.

The Pokemon hissed softly to itself before scuttling after the humans that had caught its interest. It wouldn't stop hunting them until it evolved, and it would take down each and every one of their Pokemon that got in its way.

It stumbled on a patch of unexpectedly soggy ground. Checking itself with an annoyed chirp, the Venipede doubled its pace and resumed the hunt.

-.-.-.-.-.

"Oh, I'm stuffed," Stephan moaned. "Why in Arceus' name did I eat that much?"

"Maybe you should have asked yourself that _while_ you were pigging out like a Mandibuzz at a slaughterhouse," Volan said snidely.

The trio had just finished lunch in the Pokemon Center's cafeteria. Thanks to Nurse Joy and Audino, Rickie and Blitzle had made a full recovery and were now ready and raring to go as usual. Blitzle, reportedly, had been a feisty patient, but Rickie had simply sat and watched the process with utter fascination.

"Let's go do some more training!" Thrin said. "I want to battle with Luna and make her Psybeam a little stronger!"

Volan smirked. "I thought you didn't like trekking through that swamp?" he asked. "Why don't we relax for the rest of the day? The Gym's not going anywhere, and we've been working nonstop since this morning. Besides, I want to check out the Museum of Natural Pokemon History."

Stephan wrinkled his brow. "You want to waste away the afternoon by checking out a bunch of crusty old relics?" he said with mild distaste. "No thanks, that isn't for me. I'm going to train in Pinwheel Forest some more, if you want to come along," he added, directing his suggestion at Thrin.

"Uh, no thank you," she said hastily. "I think I'd rather go to the museum with Volan."

"Suit yourself," Stephan replied indifferently. "Let's meet back at the cafeteria for dinner, alright?"

The siblings nodded as one and headed off, while Stephan walked back in the direction of PinwheelForest.

The Museum of Natural Pokemon History was the biggest building in town, located in the northernmost part of the city. It was large and imposing, and it housed countless treasures from the ancient past. Volan shivered with delight just staring up at the amazing construction.

"So, we're going in?" Thrin asked.

"Oh, definitely," her brother said without a hint of sarcasm. "Do you have money for your ticket?"

She nodded after feeling around in her pocket for the appropriate amount of P. However, they didn't get very far past the entrance before they literally bumped into someone.

"So sorry about that – hang on. N?" Thrin asked incredulously, blinking a few times.

Indeed, they had run into none other than the young man from Accumula Town. The same N who had claimed to be able to understand Pokemon and who apparently agreed with Team Plasma's ideals.

N's face, initially furrowed with annoyance, cleared up when he realized who he had run into. "Oh, hello again!" he greeted them brightly. He seemed positively delighted to see them again.

"Pidove doooove? _What's he doing here?_" Bernice inquired, turning her head to stare at him with one eye.

"I'm simply exploring the museum," he replied, giving Bernice a smile. "I've heard that it is quite amazing."

The Pidove looked completely flabbergasted. She had never really believed that N could understand Pokemon, so this was a bit of a rude awakening for her.

"Actually," N continued, "I've been looking for the two of you for a while now."

Volan and Thrin exchanged a confused glance. "Why?" they asked in unison.

N ushered them outside silently before he gave them an answer. "I wanted to battle Thrin," he stated, pointing at her. "I've already battled you, Volan, so I know how deep the bond is between you and Bernice. But I haven't had a chance to see how well Thrin and her own Pokemon work together."

The girl herself was looking a little shocked at N's reply. _Why would he want to battle me, of all people?_ she wondered. _I'm not as skilled as Volan, or as experienced…_

She felt a minor pang of jealousy at this thought, which was quickly shaken away.

"Alright then," Thrin finally said. "I'll battle you, N."

The green-haired boy beamed at her. "Thank you! You don't know how much this means to me!"

_He's like a child,_ Volan thought to himself.

Battling on the street was perfectly legal, although they would have to hand over their Trainer's licenses to the local Officer Jenny if she happened to pass them. N and Thrin took their positions on either side of the street, and casual passersby stopped to watch the battle.

"How does one Pokemon each sound, Thrin?" N asked her, smiling.

"Sounds good to me," she replied, returning his smile. "Go, Luna!"

The Poke Ball was hurled into the air, and Luna appeared in front of her mistress. At first, she didn't know what was going on, but she rapidly figured it out and assumed a battle-ready position.

"My friend, come out and fight!" N called, throwing his own Poke Ball with a flourish. A small green Pokemon appeared, tilting its head from side to side as it regarded its foe with innocent curiosity. The leaves on its head flapped in the slight breeze that had picked up.

Thrin decided to look it up in her Pokedex, and opened the device. After scanning the unfamiliar Pokemon, it read out, "**Petilil, the Bulb Pokemon. Eating one of the bitter leaves on its head will get rid of fatigue. Since they prefer nutrient-rich soil, areas where Petalil are found in the wild are known to be good for gardening. This specimen is a young female, has the Chlorophyll ability, and knows the attacks Growth, Leech Seed, Absorb, and Sleep Powder.**"

"Luna, use Psywave!" Thrin commanded her, and the Psychic-type shot an undulating wave of purple energy at Petilil. It struck her, but didn't seem to be very effective.

"Growth, then Leech Seed!" said N.

"Lillil!" squeaked the Grass-type, glowing a bright green color and doubling her size. She then formed a small brown seed in the middle of her head leaves, which was catapulted from her head toward Luna.

"Defense Curl!" cried the younger Gurei, and Luna frantically curled into a ball to protect herself.

However, it did no good. The Leech Seed affixed itself to the Munna's body and extended leafy tendrils that ensnared her. She was still able to move freely, but the vines began to glow green and visibly sap her strength. Luna whimpered as she felt her energy draining away.

"Fight it please, Luna! Throw all of your power into a Psybeam attack!" Thrin called.

"Mun mun!" responded Luna, hearing her mistress' call. She summoned all of her willpower and shot a forked bolt of rainbow-colored lightning at Petilil. The poor Grass-type took the hit with a shriek and slumped to the ground, shrinking back to her normal size.

"Yes, we've finally managed to execute a good Psybeam!" Thrin exclaimed victoriously. "Give Petalil another one, Luna!"

"Muuuuun!" hummed Luna, firing another bolt of psychic power. This one struck Petilil as well. By now, the Bulb Pokemon seemed to be in bad shape. But Luna was still under the influence of Leech Seed, which was rapidly sucking away her strength.

"Absorb, Petilil!" N told his Pokemon. The leaves on her head began to glow green, and identically colored ribbons of energy flew from Luna's body and into the leaves.

_No, he's draining Luna's energy and using it to heal Petilil!_ Thrin realized, knowing that she'd have to do something fast.

"Psybeam again, Luna!" she cried desperately.

Luna shot another blast of energy, but it was significantly weaker than the others. Petilil was barely fazed as N called for another Absorb attack, which further leeched from the Munna's strength.

Thrin and Volan simultaneously gasped as Luna abruptly dropped to a lower height above the ground. She was clearly weakening. "Luna, please! Hang in there!" Thrin pleaded. "I need you to use one more Psybeam! Please try to hang on!"

Something in the girl's voice sparked something in the rapidly-weakening Psychic-type. Luna knew that her mistress needed her at this moment, and she wanted to be there for her. It didn't matter that almost all of her strength had been drained – Mistress Thrin needed her!

"Muuuuu-NAAA!" cried Luna, summoning all the power that still existed within her. She released a jagged Psybeam that zigzagged on a straight course toward Petilil. It struck with amazing power, making the Grass-type shriek in pain as her very mind was scorched by the lightning bolt.

Luna's Psybeam was abruptly cut off as she used the last of her energy. The Munna slumped to the ground, fully unconscious. On the other side of the battlefield, Petilil seemed to wilt, unconscious as well. The battle had ended in a draw.

"Alright, Luna, that's enough," Thrin sighed, amazed and grateful at her Pokemon's sudden display of strength. "Thank you so much. Just rest for now."

N recalled his Petilil and walked over to Thrin. "You managed to defeat us. Right now, I guess my friends aren't strong enough to save all Pokemon. I need more power, power to make anyone agree with me."

Thrin, and her brother on the sidelines, regarded N quizzically. "Is that what you want to do?" she asked with a slight edge in her voice. "You want to 'save' Pokemon… from people? Just like Team Plasma wants to do?"

The green-haired young man seemed to flinch at her words. With a bit of effort, he composed himself and said simply, "I want to prevent Pokemon from getting hurt. That's all I want. Even if it means separating humans and Pokemon…"

Volan and Thrin shivered involuntarily. N's voice seemed ominous to them.

N continued speaking as if they weren't even there. "Yes, I need power… Now I know what I need. The legendary black dragon that, along with the hero, created the Unova region…"

His words, while certainly strange, provoked something in Thrin, some hidden… emotion? Yes, maybe emotion – something that even now she felt lying dormant inside of her. Some inner ideal, something that she dearly wanted to see… yes, an ideal. That was it.

A black shadow flitted across her eyes, and the world became monochromatic once more. Thrin hadn't witnessed this phenomenon since that night she had encountered the icy monster in the woods outside Lacunosa Town. _Why is it back now, all of a sudden?_

But most shocking of all, a deep, guttural voice suddenly spoke to her. _What are you going to do about all of this? What are your ideals?_ it growled.

And then the world became normal, and the voice faded.

But by the time she came into focus again, N had already left them.

"Are you alright?" Volan asked concernedly. "You kind of spaced out there for a moment."

Thrin shook herself. "I'm fine," she said, forcing a smile. "I'm just a little worried about Luna, that's all."

"Take her to the Pokemon Center," Volan advised. "That was a strangely tense battle, the way her strength was slowly sucked away like that… I'll go on inside while you get Luna taken care of." He jerked his head toward the museum's entrance.

"Good idea," his sister replied, without any objections. "I'll meet you later." She then waved farewell and walked off down the street, moving in the general direction of the Pokemon Center.

Volan and Bernice shared a glance. The boy could see that Bernice was a little worried as well.

"She'll be fine," Volan assured her, but he himself wasn't sure if it was Thrin or Luna he was talking about. "Let's go in and try to have a relaxing visit, alright?"

Bernice trilled affirmatively as Volan walked back inside the museum.

-.-.-.-.-.

N watched Thrin and Volan part ways from a shadowy alley between two buildings. His attention was focused on Thrin, and he kept watching her until she had disappeared from view.

The young man was no fool. He had witnessed the Gurei girl's eyes flash deepest black for just an instant before returning to normal.

_What was that?_ N wondered, frowning. _And does it have any connection to what he told me about Volan? Father told me that he had, for a moment, saw a white blur flit across Volan's eyes… Could those siblings possibly be…?_

N promised himself that he would think long and hard about this.

But suddenly, he was jerked from his deep thoughts by an abrupt sound, a scuttling noise of some sort. Initially startled, he soon calmed down when he realized that it was just a Venipede passing him without even a sideways glance.

The Bug-and-Poison-type instinctively cringed when it entered the brightness of the open street, feeling exposed without the cover of darkness to hide it. As fast as it was able, it crawled to the other side of the street and squeezed into another narrow alley. The Venipede sighed in relief. It didn't think it had been noticed.

Peeking out from its new hiding spot, the Venipede immediately spotted the human girl walking idly past, the same girl that was part of the group it was currently stalking.

Only thing was, the Venipede was no longer interested in the others, at least for now. No, it only wanted the girl. It had seen how she and her Munna had struggled in battle just a few minutes previously. She would be an easy opponent to defeat, the Venipede had decided. And then it would be one step closer to evolution.

"Veni…" the insect hissed in annoyance as it accidentally bumped into a garbage can with a loud *clang*. It rapidly hid as the human girl looked over curiously, and didn't come out until she had turned her back again.

The Venipede waited until she was a safe distance away before following her. Soon, the girl and her Pokemon would be soundly defeated, and then the Venipede would certainly be strong enough to take out those other two humans. Its plan was foolproof, and would definitely bring the Venipede significantly closer to its goal.

The centipede-like Pokemon checked its surroundings to make sure it wasn't being followed, and then scurried off after its target once more.

-.-.-.-.-.

Once he had purchased a ticket for 50 P and made his way inside the museum's lobby, Volan saw that there were two possible ways to proceed. There was the wide corridor straight ahead of him, which was short, well-lit, and led into the main body of the museum, and there was the hall that branched off of it and led to the back of the building, where there was a library.

_Decisions, decisions…_ Volan thought as he glanced from one path to the other. He really wanted to see the exhibits and relics that awaited him, but being the avid bookworm he was, he really couldn't resist. He walked down the darker corridor.

It was a rather long and quiet, tunnel-like hall, lit by the lamps that dotted the walls every few feet or so. All Volan could hear were the sounds of his footsteps on the wooden floor.

When he at last entered the library, Volan found it to have a mostly similar atmosphere – it was dimly lit and very quiet. However, the main difference was the fact that the library was one huge room, replacing the claustrophobic feeling from the hall before it with a mysterious and equally unsettling one. Volan instantly grew still as the silence seemed to press against him.

The library itself, once you could get past its unnerving quietness, was actually quite magnificent. Shelves of books crowded the otherwise spacious room, and even more lined the walls. Tables existed in the very middle of the room, where Trainers were able to sit down and read silently. Volan was a quick study, immediately making his way towards what looked like a promising shelf. It was located on the far side of the library, the last in a long row of shelves pushed directly up against the wall.

"'Pokemon Biology'," he read the sign directly above it with a growing smile. "There are so much more books about the subject then the library back in Lacunosa."

He spied an interesting-looking book high on the shelf. "Bernice, you think you could get that for me?"

"Dove doooove!" she replied, flapping her wings and reaching the book in the blink of an eye. She pulled it from the shelf with effort and flew back down to Volan, dropping it in his waiting hands.

"Thanks," he whispered, opening the book. Its title was _Dangerous Unovan Pokemon: How to Bond With, Train, and Simply Survive Them_.

Volan carried the medium-sized book toward an empty table and switched on the desk lamp next to him. Sitting down, he opened the book to the first chapter. He read deeply at first, but ended up flipping through it instead. He was just that eager to see what else lay within its pages.

_Hydreigon,_ he thought with a shiver. There was one chapter dedicated entirely to it and its pre-evolved forms. _That's to be expected. It says that they cause nothing but death and destruction, eating every living thing in sight before flying somewhere else to start anew. Deino are simply irritable, Zweilous are horrible, and Hydreigon itself is nothing short of catastrophic._

The Gurei boy composed himself – if he was reading about dangerous Pokemon, he had better expect the worst, after all.

He continued skimming through the book. There were a lot of Dark and Ghost-types featured inside. The chapter on the Litwick family was extensive. Cofagrigus' chapter contained a lot of history. Scolipede was a well-known and widespread Pokemon, so he already knew enough to skip to the next chapter.

There was an entire section that was dedicated purely to ocean-dwelling Pokemon. Wailord was mentioned, being strong enough to crush an entire boat if it breached and hit one. Sharpedo and Carvanha had a rather large chapter. Volan immediately skipped the not one, but two chapters, about Frillish and Jellicent, knowing all too well what they could do.

About thirty minutes of skimming and reading the occasional paragraph passed before Volan had finished. He closed the book and joked lightly to Bernice, "I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight after reading all that."

The Pidove cooed quietly, finding his comment amusing. Volan looked at her and said idly, "You know what? Once I get better as a Trainer, I might actually start catching and training these Pokemon. It'll help prove my abilities, being able to tame these wild monsters."

Bernice had to admit he had a point, but that didn't make her any more comfortable. She didn't like the idea of travelling around with a Mandibuzz, Hydreigon, and other horrors. "Pidove, Pidoooove. _I think you should stick to safer goals for now,_" she advised.

He couldn't understand her, but Volan knew that she didn't approve of his idea. "Don't worry, I'm going to wait until we get stronger," he assured her. "By then, you'll be powerful enough to put any rowdy beast we meet in its place."

That cheered her up. Volan stood up and switched off the lamp, picking up his book. "Now what shelf was it…?" he asked himself softly, scanning the shelves before him.

"Doooove!" called Bernice, flying over to the shelf they had visited. Volan smiled and murmured "Thanks," before walking toward the shelf that Bernice had indicated. As he did so, he passed a relatively long aisle of shelves that stood together in the middle of the room. They were arranged with their sides facing toward him, so that the rows of books they held formed smaller aisles.

He passed the third shelf, his eyes fixed solidly on the one he was heading for – BAM!

Volan slammed into something – or something slammed into him – and his back hit the floor hard. Papers flew all over the place, as well as feathers when Bernice took off in fright. The book he was carrying hit him in the stomach. Wincing with pain, he shook his head to clear his scrambled senses and stood up shakily.

That was when he saw what had hit him – or to be more accurate, _who_ had hit him. There on the floor in front of him was a blonde girl about his age, hastily gathering the papers strewn all over the floor. She suddenly stopped in the middle of her work to look up at him with startled, bright green eyes. Volan couldn't help but notice that she was extremely pretty.

The instant Volan looked at her, the girl rearranged her startled expression into a neutral one. It seemed as if she was trying to keep herself in control and to remain calm. Wordlessly, Volan extended his hand, silently offering to help her up. After pausing a moment to consider, the girl reached out with her own delicate hand and took his, allowing him to pull her roughly to her feet.

"I'm sorry," Volan said sheepishly. He was surprised to see that the girl was as tall as he was, and rather thin despite her wavy hair that fanned out behind her, making her appear larger than she really was. She held herself with an air of formality that made Volan feel uncomfortably casual in comparison.

"No, I'm the one that should apologize," she said quietly. "It was my fault for not being aware of my surroundings."

The mystery girl gave him a short, apologetic bow before straightening herself. Her jade eyes bore into his as if studying him. Volan felt his face heat up ever so slightly.

"Well, the important thing is that it was an accident, and that no one got hurt," he said after a moment.

The girl cracked the tiniest of smiles and replied, "That's true. I must take my leave now, if you'll pardon me. Good day."

Before Volan could even say farewell, she had disappeared behind a shelf and was out of his sight.

"That was strange, wasn't it, Bernice?" he asked. The Pidove simply fluttered back down to his shoulder and ruffled her feathers with a squawk of displeasure.

-.-.-.-.-.

She could hear the Trainer talking to his Pidove even as she exited the library at a brisk pace. The second the girl passed over the threshold and into the hall, she allowed her cool façade to crack. Her heart was still racing from that… unexpected encounter.

But that wasn't the only reason it was pounding so badly. The girl replayed the words the Trainer had uttered after she had left him, and simultaneously pictured him in her mind, adding in the Pidove on his shoulder.

"_That was strange, wasn't it, Bernice?_"

Instinctively glancing back to make sure she was alone, the girl took a deep, shuddering breath and composed herself, allowing the cracks in her calm demeanor to seal once more.

_How many Trainers out there have a Pidove named Bernice?_ she wondered, keeping her thoughts to a whisper. _Could it… could it really be him?_

-.-.-.-.-.

**This chapter's title is a lame excuse for a pun. N is a bit of an enigma, isn't he?**

**Thrin had better step up her game, 'cause she's got herself a stalker! That Venipede looks pretty determined to destroy her for the sake of its future evolution. Self-preservation is the No. 1 rule in the wild, after all.**

**Finally… referring to what happened at the end of the chapter… ****_could it be?_**

**Review please! *big smile***

**Chapter Question #8****: I just watched the episode where Caitlin makes her first appearance in the anime, and you had better believe I had ****_tons_**** of fun imagining what Volan would do if he were there. What episode would you most like Volan to be a part of?**

**I'm going with the aforementioned episode, obviously.**

** -.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Tympole, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubble, Supersonic, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**


	19. Flight of the Dragon Skull!

_**Chapter 18 - Flight of the Dragon Skull!**_

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan did some training with Stephan in the swamp near Pinwheel Forest, teaching Rickie how to use Bubblebeam but not getting very far. After a lunch break at the Nacrene City Pokemon Center, the group decided to split up – with Stephan doing more training in the swamp while Volan and Thrin toured the Museum of Natural Pokemon History. But before they could, they were stopped by N, who battled briefly with Thrin. At one point, he noticed a black shadow in her eyes, which he decided to think hard about. Meanwhile, a Venipede tailing Volan and Co. decided to make the Gurei girl his prime target, and Volan bumped into a mysterious girl in the museum, one that seemed to recognize him…**

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan tried to force the memory of the mysterious – and admittedly quite beautiful – girl from earlier out of his mind. He exited the library and walked once more down the corridor, Bernice on his shoulder as usual.

The Pidove could tell that her master was still attempting to forget about what had happened before. But she could also tell that he was failing, that something was stopping him from forgetting about it completely. She snorted and thought, _Males._

When they exited the corridor and found themselves in the lobby of the museum, Volan glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was already almost two o'clock.

"We've still got plenty of time to spare before we meet up with Stephan and Thrin for dinner," Volan told Bernice. "Why don't we explore the rest of the museum? It's what we came here to do, and I think it'll help get my mind off of… you know."

Bernice bobbed her head in approval. "Pidooooove!" she cooed happily, leading the way down the other, more brightly lit hall with a few beats of her wings. The Gurei boy laughed lightly before following her into the main body of the museum.

If he thought the library was vast, then it was nothing compared to the museum. It was much brighter than the dim room he had just visited, and the walls towered almost thirty feet into the air before curving to form the dome-shaped ceiling. The ceiling itself was covered in windows, allowing tons of sunlight to stream down onto the floor and shine over the marble tiles. And then there were the dozens of exhibits dominating the gigantic room! Volan had never seen such enormity.

So amazed was he that he nearly bumped into a tall, thin man in a light grey suit walking in the other direction. He snapped back to reality just in time to avoid slamming into a human being for the second time that day.

"Sorry, sir!" Volan exclaimed, jumping out of the man's way.

"Oh, that's no problem," he replied with an understanding smile. "The museum is impressive, isn't it? Is it your first time visiting the Museum of Natural Pokemon History?"

Volan nodded. "Yes, I just arrived in Nacrene City yesterday. I love natural history, so I couldn't wait to visit."

"Splendid!" the man said, beaming. "My name's Hawes, the co-curator of this museum. It's not often that I meet a Trainer with such an interest in natural history! In fact, would you like me to give you a tour?"

Volan couldn't help but smile appreciatively. "Um, thanks, Hawes," he said. "That's really kind of you."

"Think nothing of it, Volan," Hawes replied, and laughed at the way the boy's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. Still chuckling, he explained, "Professor Juniper called us this afternoon and told us about a promising young Trainer that was in town. She said that it was likely he was aiming for the Gym. You are, aren't you?"

For a moment, there was silence as Volan tried to digest this information. "Yes, I am," he finally said, "but why does that concern you? This is a museum, not a Gym."

Hawes laughed again. "Au contraire," he objected. "The Nacrene Gym is indeed hidden in this museum!"

That was surprising information, to say the least. But for now, Volan didn't have to worry about that. Instead, he made a mental note to come back with Thrin and Stephan and challenge the Gym.

Hawes, true to his word, led Volan on a tour around the museum, stopping at each of the exhibits and enthusiastically explaining about them. He immediately made a beeline for the attraction in the center of the room – it was the skeleton of a massive, serpentine Pokemon, with half its body coiled up and the other half stretching up toward the sky. Volan craned his neck in order to see the creature's head, its jaws open in a silent roar.

"Believe it or not, that's the fossil of an ancient Legendary Pokemon called Rayquaza!" Hawes told him proudly. "Since there's really no other Pokemon that can stand a chance against a Legendary, we think it either died of old age or had an accident during a storm."

Volan had heard of Rayquaza, one of the oldest Pokemon that was supposedly still alive today. He, personally, had never seen one, but that was because they lived high up in the upper atmosphere. _I'd certainly remember seeing one of these flying through the sky! _Volan thought as he gazed at the fifty-foot long dragon in wonder.

He felt as if he could admire the Rayquaza skeleton forever, but Hawes ushered him toward the next exhibit. It was another fossil, this one portrayed against a background that had been painted onto the wall behind it. The background consisted of several fern-like trees and an erupting volcano underneath a pale blue sky. The fossil itself was one Volan had seen in a book – a Bastiodon locked in mortal combat with an Archeops. The Archeops' claws were scraping against the Bastiodon's flanks, and the Bastiodon's beak-like mouth was clamped around the Archeops' arm.

"That's the famous 'fighting Pokemon' fossil, isn't it?" Volan asked.

Hawes beamed at him again. "Indeed it is! This is what helped make our museum known all over Unova. The best theory we have is that these two Pokemon were fighting during a volcanic eruption, and were buried by the lava."

Volan suddenly looked up and saw two more Archeops skeletons dangling from the ceiling. It looked like they were flying away from the pair of fighting Pokemon.

"Archeops were thought to hunt in packs," Hawes explained further. "They're the first ancient Pokemon discovered that have evidence showing that they worked together. That means that they were probably intelligent as well."

"See, Bernice?" Volan said to her, pointing up at the suspended skeletons. "Those are your ancestors up there."

Bernice wrinkled her beak in displeasure. "Pidoooove, dooove. _Those big brutes? Please._"

Volan followed Hawes further around the museum. Most of the exhibits were more fossils of ancient Pokemon – there was a group of fossilized Lileep and Cradily in one corner, then an impressive Rampardos skeleton. Hawes commented that there were undoubtedly still hundreds more species of prehistoric Pokemon out there waiting to be dug up. Volan replied that it would be amazing if he could discover one someday.

There were more than just old bones on display. There was the shell of a deceased Cofagrigus, a meteorite that fell from the depths of outer space, and a strange white rock. Something about it intrigued Volan enough that he stopped and stared at it intently.

"Oh, that?" Hawes asked when he noticed the Gurei boy's eyes locked on it. "We found that in the Desert Resort. We don't know much about it – it could be an extremely rare and expensive piece of jewelry or a thousand-year old doorstop for all we know. One of my colleagues suggested that it was used millennia ago to summon a Legendary Pokemon, but come on, what are the odds?" He laughed the idea off and quickly cleaned his glasses with a handkerchief.

Volan paid him no attention. The stone was pure white and as smooth as marble. It had strange indentations that at first seemed to be random wear and tear, but it appeared to Volan that they were intentionally put there for some reason. The stone looked so small and helpless on its pedestal. Maybe that was what drew his attention, why he was so intrigued.

But suddenly, the world's color was sucked away, and everything became black and white. Everything except the stone – it was shining with a radiance that took Volan's breath away. The two indentations on its surface glowed a bright blue and stared at him as if they were eyes. A soft voice spoke to him in his mind, whispering, _Reshiram… Reshiram…_

Volan suddenly opened his eyes and found himself on the floor of the museum, with Hawes looking down on him worriedly. "A-Are you alright?" he stammered. "Can you talk to me, Volan? Say something!"

"Wh… What the Arceus happened?" he croaked, trying to stand up but falling back into a sitting position. He felt dizzy, so dizzy…

"T-Take it easy," Hawes cautioned, sounding close to a panic attack. "I-I'm going to get help. Y-Yes, I'll get my wife. She'll know what to do…"

He left to who knows where. Volan was too disoriented to pay attention. He could hear Bernice's urgent trilling, but didn't look up. He felt like if he looked up, the world would start spinning and he would be sick.

Hawes reappeared as suddenly as he had left. He was accompanied by a tall, dark-skinned woman with curly blue hair. "Look at me," she told Volan, and he did with a bit of effort. He was relieved to see that the world wasn't spinning after all, and he could look the woman in the eye without throwing up.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" she asked him seriously, showing him her hand.

"Three," Volan said after pausing for a moment. The words had caught in his throat momentarily.

The woman grunted her approval. "What's twelve times five?"

"S… Sixty," Volan replied, his voice getting stuck again.

"Hmm," she mused. "No brain damage at least…" The woman suddenly turned to Hawes and said, "Tell me again what you saw, dear."

"W-Well," he began, "when he looked at the stone, his eyes grew really wide after a second. He started sweating and shaking like mad. A-And when I looked in his eyes" – here Hawes swallowed thickly and seemed to become really frightened – "they were completely white. They were practically glowing. It scared the living daylights out of me, I tell you. I thought he had been possessed by an evil spirit or something."

The dark-skinned woman looked back down at Volan. "Can you stand up, hun?"

The boy coughed, trying to get his throat unstuck. "I-I think so…" he rasped, slowly struggling to his feet. He steadied himself after wobbling uncertainly, remaining in a standing position. He started to feel a little better, and even more so when Bernice returned to his shoulder.

"M-Maybe the stone's s-some kind of dark, ritualistic item used in ancient times to bring about ghosts and spirits for unspeakable ceremonies!" Hawes said, stumbling over his words and sweating profusely. "It must have t-tried to p-possess Volan and use his b-body for evil! We should l-lock it away before" –

"Hawes," the woman said sternly. "I highly doubt that's what happened. But nevertheless, if the stone caused this, then we should probably no longer have it on display in case it happens again. You take the stone and put it with the other items yet to be exhibited, alright?"

Hawes gulped and ran off to obey.

"Now Volan," the woman said, turning to him, "are you feeling better?"

He coughed again and found that his throat no longer felt stuck. "Yes I am," he replied. "Well, I'm still a little dizzy, but I'm feeling a lot better now."

"That's good," the woman replied with a nod. "My name's Lenora, by the way. I'm the Gym Leader here."

Volan shook the hand she extended. "Nice to meet you."

Lenora gave him another nod and suddenly asked, "You have a sister, right? Where is she right now?"

Volan could only assume that Professor Juniper's call had been made to her, and that she had also explained about Thrin. But right now, everything that had happened since lunch seemed to be obscuring his memory and preventing him from answering Lenora's question.

"Oh, now I remember," Volan abruptly stated. "Thrin's at the Pokemon Center. She said she'd meet me here in the museum when she was done."

Lenora glanced behind him and smiled. "I can see that," she said wryly.

Volan whipped around and saw Thrin grinning at him. "Hello, Volan!" she chirped. "Having fun?"

He was reluctant to answer, especially after what he had just gone through. "Well, you see…"

But just then, there was the sound of shattering glass. Volan, Thrin, and Lenora instantly turned their gaze toward the Rayquaza skeleton and saw the glass from the windows above tumbling down around it. As they watched, long ropes dropped down to the ground from up above.

"PLASMAAAAA!" came the cry, sounding like multiple people were shouting it.

"Oh no," Thrin moaned, while Volan clenched his teeth.

Indeed, four Team Plasma grunts slid down the ropes and jumped to the ground, standing defiantly before the two siblings and the Gym Leader. They all had small, round objects in their clenched fists.

"Who're these jokers?" Lenora demanded, glaring at the Plasmas.

"Team Plasma," Volan answered acidly. "A bunch of crooks that do whatever they want and say it's all in the best interests of Pokemon."

"P-Plasma?!" exclaimed one of the Plasmas. "Not true! We only do what is right and just in the name of Pokemon Liberation!"

"See?" Volan said snidely.

"Why are you weirdos even here?" Lenora asked, directing her question at the Plasmas. "If you're here to see the exhibits, you'll have to pay for a ticket like everyone else."

Another Plasma chuckled. "Very funny, Gym Leader," she said. "We're only here for one exhibit in particular… now have a taste of our smoke screen!"

All four Plasmas lifted up the spherical objects in their hands and cried out "PLASMAAAA!" They threw the objects onto the ground in front of them, and a thick curtain of fog rose up to engulf the museum.

"Stop right there!" Volan heard Lenora yell through the mist.

The response she got came after a moment from the Plasma who had given the signal for the smoke screen. "We, Team Plasma, claim the Rayquaza skull in the name of Pokemon Liberation!"

"I said STOP RIGHT THERE!" Lenora roared even as the fog began to clear. It lifted extraordinarily fast, and it was soon as if it had never been there. The other people in the museum were all looking at each other, wondering what was going on. The four Plasmas were gone – as was the Rayquaza skeleton's skull.

Lenora, Volan, and Thrin all looked up at the headless skeleton in shock. But that didn't last long.

"We have to go after them!" Lenora suddenly exploded, running towards the exit.

Volan and Thrin exchanged a glance. "Should we help her and stop Team Plasma again?" the Gurei boy asked.

His sister nodded. "We can't just let them get away with this!" she said. "It isn't forcing Pokemon away from their Trainers or bullying wild Pokemon, but we have to do something!"

"Well said," Volan replied with a nod. "Then let's chase after them."

The siblings rushed after Lenora even as Hawes reappeared.

"Dear, I've put away the s – hey, where'd everyone go? What's going on?!"

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan and Thrin caught up to Lenora just outside of the museum. She was standing in the middle of the street, looking positively livid. If her skin wasn't such a dark shade of brown, she'd have been beet red. Nevertheless, the random passersby seemed to sense her anger and stay well away.

"They got away!" the Gym Leader raged, stomping her foot on the ground like a small child.

"Is there anything we can do to help? We've fought Team Plasma before, and we're willing to do it again!" Thrin said determinedly. Volan agreed with a simple nod and nothing more.

"If only…" Lenora muttered, calming down somewhat. "Nacrene City's a big place, and there are only three of us. Maybe if we had some other helpers…"

"Hiiiiiii, Volan and Thrin~!"

The three of them – Lenora included – jumped about a foot in the air when they heard Bianca's voice ring out from right behind them. "What're you two doing here?" the blonde asked cheerfully, then suddenly noticed Lenora. "Ohhhhh, you must be the Gym Leader Lenora~! I'm so happy to meet you! Hey, can we have a Gym battle right now?"

"Please, Bianca."

Cheren suddenly appeared as suddenly as Bianca had. It seemed that the two of them had reunited and were travelling together. "Bianca, it doesn't seem to be the time for battles," he chastised her now. "Volan, Thrin, Lenora, is there a problem afoot?"

Thrin turned to the older woman and said, "You wanted more helpers? Well, here you go."

Lenora nodded approval. "So these two are friends of yours?" she asked, almost to herself. "Alright, now that there's five of us, we might just be able to cover the entire city…"

Thinking hard with her brow furrowed and arms crossed, Lenora suddenly brightened and turned to the four Trainers. "You two," she ordered, pointing to Bianca and Cheren. "Team Plasma's stolen a valuable artifact from the museum. I want you to guard the building and prevent any further thefts. If they come back, do your best to ensure they don't get away."

The blonde girl looked very confused, but was at least willing to help. Cheren was a quicker study, nodding understandably and leading Bianca inside the museum.

Although she knew that they wouldn't be able to see it, Lenora gave them an approving nod in their direction, before turning toward the Gureis to give them their orders. "I want the two of you to search Pinwheel Forest for Team Plasma. A friend of mine is usually there at this time of day – Arceus only knows why – and he might be able to help you."

"What about you?" Volan asked.

"My Pokemon and I are going to spread out and search the city," she replied confidently. Spotting his concerned glance, she added, "Hun, don't worry about me. I know this place like the back of my hand. If they're hiding somewhere in the city, I'll find them."

Volan thought about that, then shrugged. "So, Pinwheel Forest for us then," he told his sister. "We can pick up Stephan and bring him up to speed."

Thrin gave him a nod. "Take care, Lenora," she said, then dashed off toward Pinwheel Forest.

Before Volan could follow her, Lenora put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "A word of warning," she said firmly. "PinwheelForest is like a maze, and its Pokemon inhabitants can inflict a wide range of ailments if they feel threatened. If you don't find my friend in there, then be very careful."

"Who is this friend of yours, so we can keep an eye out for him?" Volan asked her, raising an eyebrow.

Surprisingly, in spite of this serious situation, Lenora chuckled. "You'll know him when you see him. His name is Burgh, and he's the Gym Leader of Castelia City. He stands out in a crowd, usually."

Volan gave her a nod. "Good luck," he said, before running after his sister.

Lenora stared after him for a while before calling out her two Pokemon – a Herdier and a Watchog. Immediately, she ordered, "I need the two of you to help me search the city for a bunch of criminals that have stolen one of our exhibits. Is that clear?"

"Groooooh!" howled Herdier.

"Watch Watchog!" squeaked Watchog.

They both scampered off in different directions. Lenora was about to go down a separate street when she suddenly heard a loud clanging noise from the far sidewalk. She turned around and peered across the street, and her eyes widened slightly with surprise.

A garbage can had fallen over and spilled its contents all across the sidewalk. Scurrying away from the mess was a Venipede, who didn't seem to be simply running away at all. Instead, it looked like it had a destination in mind. It was heading in the same direction the Gurei siblings had gone in, towards Pinwheel Forest.

_That's odd,_ Lenora thought. _If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was chasing Volan and Thrin._

The Gym Leader shook her head, certain she was imagining things. _No, certainly not, _she decided, before walking away down a side street. She had some crooks to catch and an exhibit to retrieve.

-.-.-.-.-.

**I hate Dragonite, so I replaced it with Rayquaza. Hey, Legendary Pokemon can die too, and it makes for a much more impressive exhibit.**

**Also, I hope you readers got the real-life reference I was making when I mentioned the "fighting Pokemon" fossil.**

**So, looks like Volan's fallen under a spell of some sort upon viewing the Light Stone (spoilers). Of course, he's alright now, but why did that happen? Bah, enough questions – CATCH TEAM PLASMA, VOLAN! RUN LIKE THE WIND!**

**Team Plasma: "Review in the name of – wait, why are you chasing us? Don't tell us you're siding with the Gurei boy!"**

**Chapter Question #9****: Volan mentioned in the previous chapter that he wanted to start training more dangerous Pokemon once he got better as a Trainer. Do you readers want to see him go through with that?**

**I certainly do. Having a team of Pokemon universally known as deadly monsters would make any Trainer think twice about challenging him to a battle.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Tympole, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubble, Supersonic, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**


	20. Chasing Plasma in Pinwheel Forest

**_Chapter 19 – Chasing Plasma in Pinwheel Forest_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan exited the library and nearly ran into Hawes, the co-curator of the Museum of Natural Pokemon History. He already knew who the Gurei boy was thanks to Professor Juniper, and subsequently gave him a tour of the museum. However, Volan's interest was captivated by a strange stone on display, and the next thing he knew, he was on the floor and feeling extremely dizzy. According to Hawes, he had been put into a trance of some sort. But there was no time to dwell on that, as Team Plasma suddenly dropped in and stole the skull off a Rayquaza skeleton! Volan, Thrin, and the Gym Leader Lenora all split up in pursuit of the thieves, with the Venipede from before still chasing after the siblings.**

-.-.-.-.-.

"What?! Team Plasma attacked the museum and stole an exhibit?" Stephan asked incredulously.

"That's the gist of it," Thrin agreed. "And we're asking you to help us search Pinwheel Forest for them and to get the skull back."

The three Trainers had met up just outside the huge forest. Stephan had spent the entire afternoon training with his Pokemon while Volan and Thrin had been at the museum. Thus, he had missed the entire episode with Team Plasma, and the siblings needed to inform him of everything that had happened without him.

As it turned out, Stephan indeed had encountered Team Plasma before, during one of their speeches at Striaton City. However, he stressed that he never ever considered liberating his Pokemon, thinking that the Plasmas were a bunch of whackos.

"There's one more thing," Volan added before Stephan could say something else. "Lenora told me to watch out for a friend of hers in Pinwheel Forest named Burgh. She said that he could help us find our way through the woods."

"Burgh?" asked Thrin. "As in, the famous artist and clothing designer?"

Volan shrugged. "No idea. You know that I don't give a damn about that kind of stuff."

Bernice shivered her wings and nodded her agreement.

"I've heard of Burgh," Stephan broke in, in a musing tone of voice. "I think he's the Gym Leader of Castelia City."

"Yes, Lenora said that he was a Gym Leader," Volan confirmed.

Thrin was very confused. "Wait a second. He's an artist, clothing designer, _and _a Gym Leader? How does he accomplish all that?"

"With good time management and very hard work!"

The unexpected and joking voice came from up above them. Startled, the three Trainers instinctively looked up at the tree directly above them. There on a branch perched a curly-haired man with a scarf grinning jovially down at them. Before their very eyes, the man jumped off of the tree limb, did a backflip, and landed on his feet in front of them.

Needless to say, they were now shocked speechless.

"I've been working on that one for _ages_," the man said proudly. "I spend a lot of my free time in Pinwheel Forest, so I always find a way to keep myself amused – whether its Pokemon watching or jumping out of trees!"

Volan gave the man an odd stare. "Pardon me, but you wouldn't happen to be Burgh of Castelia City, would you?"

"The one and only!" grinned Burgh, extending a hand. "Pleasure to meet you!"

The Gurei boy shook his hand briefly, and Thrin and Stephan did the same. "What are you doing here right now?" the girl asked curiously.

Burgh suddenly looked thoughtful. "I… don't remember…" he mused, but suddenly brightened again. "Oh, now I know! I was on my way to Nacrene City after failing to find any inspiration in Pinwheel Forest. I always visit Lenora when I get artist's block. Anyway, I was on my way to the museum – fantastic place, by the way – when I happened to hear you three young ones talking about me!"

"Well, speak of Giratina and he shall appear, as they say…" Volan muttered, then looked at Burgh apologetically. "No offense or anything."

"None taken," was the cheerful reply he got.

"Can you help us, Burgh?" Stephan blurted, suddenly irate now that he remembered that there was trouble afoot. "Team Plasma's stolen a fossil from Nacrene City and is probably hiding in Pinwheel Forest!"

Burgh did a double take. "You don't say?" he asked, his jovial attitude evaporating and becoming serious. "I knew that the Bug Pokemon looked all riled up today… well, you've come to the right person to aid in your quest!" he added confidently. "I know Pinwheel Forest like the back of my hand!"

"Somehow, that doesn't sound comforting," Thrin remarked under her breath, but everyone heard.

-.-.-.-.-.

A few minutes later, Burgh was glancing back and forth at the two paths that they had come across, looking rather confused. One was paved and covered with a thin bed of fallen leaves, cutting straight through the forest, while the other was narrow and snaked through the otherwise tightly-compacted trees. There were also definite footprints to be found on the latter path.

Volan, Thrin, and Stephan were all waiting for the Gym Leader to make a decision. "Well?" Stephan suddenly piped up. "Where did the Plasmas go, Burgh?"

"There are footprints on the forest path, and none on the paved one," Volan pointed out impatiently. "It seems pretty obvious as to where they went."

Burgh furrowed his brow, thinking deeply. After a moment, he looked up and mused, "It might not be that simple."

Thrin gazed up at him in befuddlement. "What do you mean?" she asked him.

"Just like Volan said," Burgh explained, "the direction we must head in is clear. However, that's just it – the Plasmas left a trail that a blind Patrat could follow. It has to be a trap, or at least, a ruse to lure us away from them. They probably used the paved road, and left those footprints to lead us to believe that they took the other path."

"There are a lot of leaves covering the pavement," Stephan objected, "and they look untouched. You're just over-thinking this."

For a moment, there was complete silence as everyone silently contemplated on their next course of action.

"Why don't we do this," Burgh suggested. "We'll split up. I'll take the paved road with Thrin, and Volan, you can take the forest path with Stefan."

Stephan facepalmed. "No one knows my name…" he muttered.

Thrin looked reluctant at being paired up with the Gym Leader. She wanted to be able to fight alongside Volan or Stephan. But the fact was, she knew she wasn't the strongest Trainer of all, and having Burgh as her ally would be a great help. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy for the two boys, being better Trainers than she was.

"I guess it's settled then, Stephan," Volan decided. "We'll go through the forest while Thrin and Burgh go the other way."

"Sounds like a plan!" Stephan enthused, fist-pumping. "Now let's go take down some Plasmas!"

Burgh started down the paved road, his feet crunching on the fallen leaves beneath him. Thrin took a step after him, then turned back to Volan. "Good luck, alright?" she asked.

Her brother nodded. "Stay safe and close to Burgh," he replied.

With that, the two parties split up and traveled down their choice routes, hands reaching into their pockets and ready to whip out a Poke Ball at the first glimpse of a Plasma's amoebic uniform.

On the forest path, the light was rapidly quenched by the trees that crowded close together, making Volan feel like he was in Wellspring Cave all over again. However, it wasn't nearly as unnerving as the perpetual silence of those caverns – the air was fresher and the wind whispered through the trees while bird Pokemon called overhead. Speckles of sunlight dotted the ground, where thick ferns grew out of the squishy, damp earth and up to Volan's knees.

Inwardly, Volan winced at every step he took. His legs brushed against the garden of ferns, causing them to rustle uncomfortably loudly. He felt as if each step was an alarm alerting the larger and deadlier Pokemon in the forest to his presence.

"Hey, I thought I heard something up ahead," Stephan whispered from behind Volan, pointing into the distance. As the Gurei boy squinted through the thick woods that spanned for miles in front of him and blocked his vision, he thought he could see glimpses of something moving.

"Do you think it's a Plasma?" asked Stephan.

"I think it's equally likely that it's a Scolipede or something else unpleasant," Volan said darkly. "But if there's a chance that it's indeed a Plasma, then we should at least check it out."

Stephan nodded and pushed ahead of Volan, moving as quietly as he possibly could with the ferns rustling all around him. Volan followed, darting behind trees whenever possible and trying to remain hidden from the unknown thing's view.

Soon, they had left the fern bed behind them and now walked on relatively flat, damp earth covered with decomposing leaves. The smell of the rotting compost was strangely refreshing, Volan noted at the back of his mind as him and Stephan closed in on their mysterious quarry.

When they had reached the clearing in which it was – a very small clearing that was easily kept in shadow by the crowns of the surrounding trees – Volan and Stephan peered around the trunk they had hidden behind and blinked in astonishment. The thing they had been chasing had vanished.

"Where in Unova could it have gone?" Stephan asked to no one in particular. The two boys walked out into the middle of the clearing, looking around aimlessly. There was no trace of the creature.

But suddenly, there was a loud yell and a blur of movement. Volan and Stephan whipped around just in time to see two men in amoebic uniforms jump down from the trees! They were, of course, Team Plasma grunts.

"So they were Plasmas," Volan said, taking out a Poke Ball. "You were right, Stephan."

Said boy nodded and took out a Poke Ball of his own. "Hey, you!" he yelled to the grunts. "Where's the skull you stole? Give it up and no one will get hurt!"

One of the Plasmas, a scrawny, bespectacled man, laughed. "Like we'd tell you!" he laughed. "Our fellow Plasmas are already taking it deeper into the forest! And we're here to buy time for them to get away!"

The other Plasma, who was tall and bulky, said in a ridiculously high-pitched voice, "Yeah, and our Pokemon were given to us by Sage Gorm himself! We'll grind you into chum!"

Volan almost laughed at the latter grunt's voice, but he was already giving into his frosty anger again. "Let's take them down," he hissed to Stephan, who nodded. The larger boy was surprised and almost intimidated by the change that had come over his friend. _It's like he's a completely different person when he meets someone he dislikes,_ he thought.

"Rickie, no mercy!" shouted Volan, hurling the Poke Ball. The Tympole appeared on the moist ground in front of his master, cute face contorted with determination and rage.

"Take 'em down, Sewaddle!" Stephan added, tossing his Poke Ball into the air as well.

The light that spilled from the capsule formed into a small green insect-like Pokemon with six stubby legs and two tiny fangs. "Sewaddo!" it chirped, eyes narrowed and focused on its foes. Despite its small stature, it looked completely confident and ready to rumble. Volan took the time to scan it with his Pokedex.

"**Sewaddle, the Sewing Pokemon,**" it intoned. "**This Pokemon chews up leaves and knits them together with silk in order to make clothes for itself. When sleeping, it hides its head in its hood. This specimen is a newly-hatched male with the Chlorophyll ability, and knows the moves Tackle, String Shot, Bug Bite, and Screech.**"

"Is that all you've got?" sneered Squeaky. "We, Team Plasma, will crush you in the name of Pokemon Liberation!"

Both grunts summoned their own Pokemon. One was a Zubat, like the one Volan had fought in the Dreamyard. The other was an unfamiliar creature that floated in the air alongside Zubat, surrounded in a gaseous substance. It more or less looked like a ball of gas with two nearly pupil-less eyes and a wide, toothy smile that made Volan shiver.

He held up his Pokedex and scanned the little monster as well. "**Gastly, the Gas Pokemon. Its body is ninety-five percent gas, making it vulnerable to strong winds. There is enough poison in its body to kill a full-grown Haxorus in seconds. This specimen is female, with the Levitate ability and the moves Fire Punch, Lick, and Mean Look.**"

Now that Volan knew what he was up against, he felt a little more confident. "Rickie, use Supersonic!"

"Tyyyyym!" the Water-type shrieked, blasting out a sonic pulse that flew through the air towards Zubat and Gastly. The Ghost-and-Poison-type managed to avoid it, but Zubat was unable to fly out of the way in time and got the full blast of it. The Bat Pokemon began to squeak and fly erratically around in the air, totally disoriented.

"Sewaddle, nail it with Tackle!" Stephan commanded.

"Wado!" replied Sewaddle, shooting a rope of silk from his mouth that stuck firmly to a branch overhead. Sewaddle then launched himself into the air by swinging on the rope, throwing one of his stubby feet out at the last minute and kicking Zubat squarely in the face.

"Gastly, get that little pest with Lick!" ordered Squeaky.

"Gaaaaaaas…" Gastly hissed, floating toward Sewaddle at an almost leisurely pace.

"Rickie, defend Sewaddle with Bubble!" said Volan.

The Tympole got between Gastly and Sewaddle and blew an enormous bubble from his mouth. When the Gas Pokemon stuck out her tongue to use Lick, it made contact with the bubble and burst it. The force of the bubble's pop stung Gastly's tongue badly, causing her to flinch and retreat.

"Now Sewaddle, use Screech!" Stephan ordered.

The Bug-and-Grass-type opened his mouth and produced a shrill wail that ripped through the air. "WAAAAAAAAAD!"

Gastly was blown away by the force of Sewaddle's Screech, and even Zubat and Rickie cowered on the sidelines as the sound threatened to damage their sensitive ears. Volan winced at the noise as well.

"Enough!" yelled Tall and Scrawny, holding his ears. "Zubat, use Wing Attack!"

"Chkat chkat!" clicked Zubat as it did a wide aerial somersault and then swooped in toward Sewaddle, still dangling from his silken rope.

Volan knew that Flying-type moves were doubly effective against Bug-and-Grass-types. He had to do something to protect Sewaddle, or else the Sewing Pokemon would almost certainly be knocked out.

Finally, he went with his usual defensive strategy. "Rickie, interfere with Bubble!"

"Polepolepolepolepole!" chirped Rickie, as he churned out a whole minefield of bubbles that blocked Zubat off from Sewaddle.

The Poison-and-Flying-type flew through the bubbles, popping them left and right and earning itself several angry-looking red marks on its skin. Finally, it burst through the horde of bubbles, but it had lost a lot of speed and energy in the process.

"Another Tackle, Sewaddle!" Stephan commanded.

"Wado Sewaddo!" the Bug-and-Grass-type cried, swinging like a pendulum on his silk thread. He swung at an angle, causing him to spin in circles more and more rapidly. After six cycles, he had gained enough momentum to snap the rope and smash into Zubat with astounding force.

"Chkat…" squeaked Zubat pathetically, fluttering to the ground.

"Finish with Mud Shot, Rickie!" Volan called, and Rickie spat a huge ball of mud that exploded against Zubat's helpless form. It didn't stand a chance.

"No, that wasn't supposed to happen!" squealed the squeaky-voiced grunt. "Gastly, you must fight in the name of Pokemon Liberation! Use Fire Punch!"

The Gas Pokemon smirked darkly. "Gaaaaastly!" she cried, snapping her fangs. The force of the snaps caused sparks to fly as her teeth ground together. Almost immediately, the gases around Gastly's body ignited, turning her into a fireball. She then took aim and hurled herself at Sewaddle like a flaming arrow.

"Rickie, you know what to do!" Volan shouted, trying to sound confident. Inside, though, he wasn't sure that Bubble would work this time.

"Tympole!" cried Rickie, inhaling deeply and puffing out his cheeks. At first, he released a couple of the usual clear, slowly floating bubbles. But then, the bubbles started to fly out of his mouth at ever faster speeds, turning a deep blue color as they did so. Soon, Rickie was firing a concentrated jet of bubbles straight at the flaming Gastly!

"Awesome!" Stephan shouted, raising his fist in the air. "Looks like all that training paid off! Rickie's learned Bubblebeam!"

It was already too late for Gastly to avoid the attack. Streaking toward Sewaddle, she soon found herself nearly on top of the Bubblebeam. Bubble after water-filled bubble slammed into her, extinguishing the flames and sending her tumbling through the air.

"Gaaaasssss…" she moaned quietly, slowly floating down to earth and resting there, unconscious.

"PLASMAAAAA!" shrieked Squeaky.

"How could we lose? These Pokemon were guaranteed to win!" protested Tall and Scrawny.

"We've failed Team Plasma…" agreed Squeaky, hanging his head.

"You have not failed, fellow subjects of the King."

Volan, Stephan, and the two grunts simultaneously turned around to see an old, robed man walking towards them out of the forest. Something about him – maybe the regal vibe he gave of, or something else – caused the four of them to shrink back a little.

The man continued, "You were required to buy time for the others to escape with the Rayquaza skull. And you did very well. Undoubtedly the rest of Team Plasma is making their way toward Castelia City with the skull even now…"

"We understand, Sage Gorm," said Squeaky, bowing. He then pointed a shaking finger at Volan and continued, "But these Trainers destroyed us! We realized that this boy was the same one that has been meddling in our affairs, and we wanted to capture him for punishment – but he is simply too strong!"

Gorm turned to Volan and arched a bushy eyebrow at him. "So this is the one…" the old man murmured. "This is the Trainer that has been causing us such trouble. We cannot allow anyone to disrupt our plans and get away with it. We must see to it that you cannot interfere again."

Volan's glare made even the Sage back away, if only for an instant. Gorm composed himself and reached for a Poke Ball. Rickie hopped to his master's side, mimicking his icy expression.

_I have a feeling that this Gorm fellow is much stronger than the other Plasmas, _Volan thought. _Can Rickie and I still beat him?_

But just as Gorm was about to release his Pokemon, there was a sudden, immense rustling sound, as if an army of insects were scuttling over the decaying leaves towards them.

In fact, that turned out to be exactly the case – a huge group of wild Sewaddle suddenly appeared from the darkness of the forest and surrounded them. Even Gorm looked completely shocked at their presence here. "What in the name of Zekrom…" he murmured, but he didn't get further.

"So these are the people that are bothering all the poor Bug Pokemon!" a familiar voice called from behind the Sewaddle.

Volan's heart leapt at the sound of Burgh's voice. The curly-haired Gym Leader appeared out of the trees even as some of the Sewaddle stepped aside to let him pass. Thrin and Oliver were behind him, carrying a huge white object in her hands. Volan picked out horns, eye sockets, and teeth – it was the Rayquaza skull!

"P-Plasma?!" exclaimed Tall and Scrawny. "Our efforts were completely in vain! They've gotten the skull back just like that!"

Gorm slowly shook his head and smiled thinly. "No, that is where you are wrong," he replied. "I have realized my mistake. The Rayquaza skull is worthless to us. It has nothing to do with the Legendary Pokemon which Team Plasma seeks."

Burgh, by this time, had joined Volan and Stephan in the clearing as the Sewaddle clustered closer around them. He eyed Gorm distastefully and said, "I came here on account of the nests of the Bug Pokemon being disturbed, and what do I find? You!" He pointed dramatically at the Sage and continued, "Are you the one that's the cause of this mess? Are you the boss of Team Plasma?"

Gorm frowned slightly. "I am Gorm of the Seven Sages of Team Plasma," he replied. "It seems as if the odds are a little against us, so we will retreat peacefully. But I tell you, Burgh of Castelia City, and Volantes of Lacunosa Town – know your enemies, know yourself, and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

"In order for Team Plasma to secure the liberation of Pokemon, we will do whatever we must, even if it means theft. We will not tolerate any further interference from you."

The fallen Zubat from the previous battle suddenly got up and fluttered up into the air. It screeched and suddenly used a Haze attack, filling the entire clearing with thick black smoke.

The smoke cleared only a couple of seconds later, but by that time, Team Plasma had vanished.

"They're a speedy bunch," Thrin remarked, her voice strained from the effort of carrying the Rayquaza skull through Pinwheel Forest.

"Here, let me take that," Stephan offered, and without waiting for an answer, he took the heavy skull in his own hands.

Thrin let her sore arms fall limply to her sides. "Thanks," she said gratefully, to which Stephan gave her a thumbs-up.

"Well, it appears our work here is done," Volan observed.

Burgh nodded and turned to the largest of the Sewaddle. "You were a great help, my friend," he said. "I will be sure to repay you someday."

The Sewaddle leader nodded. "Sewawa!" it chirped, before leading its group back into the depths of the forest. Volan smiled, reminded of the Roggenrola that had helped him escape Wellspring Cave.

"I should really head back to Castelia City," said Burgh. "I believe I've gotten my inspiration for my next piece of art! Yes sir, it's been a productive day for me!"

The Gym Leader extended a hand to each Trainer in turn, and they all shook it one by one. "I hope to see you in my beautiful Gym sometime!" Burgh said cheerfully. "From the way you three fought today, I'm excited to see how you'll fare in the Castelia City Gym!"

And with that, Burgh rapidly scuttled up a tree and disappeared amongst the leaves.

"Sometimes I think he's more of an insect than a person," Thrin said exasperatedly, watching him go.

"Tepig," agreed Oliver, craning his neck up at the tree as well.

"Speaking of Gym battles," Stephan interrupted with a signature fist pump, "why don't we take this skull back to the museum? Then we can have ourselves a battle with Lenora and get our second badge!"

Volan nodded, already smiling slightly in anticipation. "Let's go, Rickie," he said, holding his arms open. The Tympole jumped into his arms and snuggled contentedly against his master's chest.

"Pole Tympole," he said to himself. "_I did good today._"

On the ground, Stephan's Sewaddle rolled his eyes. "Wado wado._ If you say so._"

-.-.-.-.-.

**Sewaddle's voice in the anime is awesome, for the record. Paired up with how it randomly appears out of nowhere to tackle Ash in the face during that one episode, it always makes me smile.**

**And yes, that was my interpretation of Gastly's Fire Punch! To be honest, it was the only one that really made sense to me.**

**Hydreigon: "It would be very good of you if you reviewed, sirs and madams!"**

**Chapter Question #10****: Who are your favorite characters in PMD: Gates to Infinity?**

**Mine are Gurdurr, the aforementioned Hydreigon, and Cofagrigus. GLORIOUS!**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Tympole, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Supersonic, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**


	21. Volan and Stephan vs Lenora

**_Chapter 20 – Volan and Stephan vs Lenora_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan, Thrin, and Stephan met up with Burgh, the Castelia City Gym Leader, outside Pinwheel Forest! Burgh accepted their offer to help them track down Team Plasma and recover the Rayquaza skull. The group split up when the path they had taken forked. Volan and Stephan ended up finding two Team Plasma Grunts, as well as one of the Seven Sages. The Sage, Gorm, was about to initiate a battle with Volan, when an army of Sewaddle followed by Burgh and Thrin appeared. As Gorm revealed, Team Plasma didn't need the Rayquaza skull after all, so they retreated under cover of a Haze attack.**

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan, Thrin, Bernice, and Stephan all watched as Hawes and Lenora oversaw the re-installation of the Rayquaza skull to its rightful place atop the tremendous skeleton's neck. As they looked on, the skull was lowered toward and then sealed back on to Rayquaza's body by the museum staff.

The skull was released from its bonds now that it was secure, and the staff backed away from the Legendary Pokemon. The Rayquaza skeleton was truly an awe-inspiring sight, made even more amazing with the glow of the setting sun streaming down from the repaired windows on the ceiling and washing over its bones. Once again, the ancient dragon was complete.

And it was all thanks to the valiant efforts of none other than our three heroes.

"I can't thank you enough," Lenora said for what seemed like the hundredth time. "With such strong and talented Trainers taking care of them, the Pokemon with you must be very happy."

Thrin blushed, Stephan rubbed the back of his head, and Volan looked down at his feet as Lenora bowed gratefully to them and Hawes blubbered out a tearful thank-you. They knew that they had done the museum a huge service in recovering the Rayquaza skull, but all of these emotional thank-yous were simply too much!

Lenora kept talking. "Now, because you three have retrieved the skull and saved us a boatload of work – Hawes, dear, calm down – we owe you a tremendous favor. So, I'm going to pay you back right now. Follow us, please!"

The dark-skinned woman gestured for them to come along as she and her husband led them back to the front lobby and then down the dark corridor that led to the library. While Thrin and Stephan gazed around at their new surroundings, Volan wondered what Lenora could possibly be thinking.

When they entered the library, the three of them stared in awe at the gigantic, dim room filled to the brim with books. Even Volan, who had been here earlier today, couldn't help but gawk once more at the magnificent library. It was simply that amazing.

"Usually, my dears," Lenora was saying, "Trainers who challenge the Nacrene Gym must complete a puzzle in order to find the hidden entrance in this very library. But since you three have already proven yourselves as worthy challengers in Pinwheel Forest, I will lead you to the entrance myself!"

Stephan was looking really psyched, and Volan couldn't help but feel excited himself. _At last, I'm able to get my second Unova League Gym badge,_ he thought, a chill of anticipation coursing through him. _Then we can move on to Castelia City and challenge Burgh, and before I know it, I'll have eight Gym badges!_

Volan stopped his thoughts before they ran too far ahead. He knew that if this Gym was anything like the previous one, then it would be hard to beat Lenora. It was better to concentrate on the here and now, rather than get ahead of himself.

They stopped in front of one of the many bookshelves that lined the walls. "Volan, hun," said Lenora, gesturing for him to step forward. "Why don't you take a look at that book?"

The Gurei boy eyed the indicated work of literature suspiciously. It was a thick tome entitled _The Laws and Politics of the Kanto Region._ Inwardly, Volan shuddered.

_Maybe this has something to do with the puzzle,_ he thought. _That's why Lenora's telling me to look at it. Hmm, if she's telling me to do so, then maybe it's worth a shot._

Volan extended his arm up toward the shelf and easily reached the book. The instant he pulled it from its place between the other books, there was a loud clicking sound, and the entire shelf began to slide downward into the floor!

Thrin gasped loudly and covered her mouth in shock as the shelf slowly disappeared inch by inch. When the last of it had vanished into the floor – the top remained slightly aboveground – a secret door was revealed.

"Color me impressed!" Stephan commented.

"Likewise," Volan agreed.

"Well, let's get going, dears!" Lenora said, stepping out of the way. "This battle isn't going to fight itself, you know! After you, you three."

Volan turned the doorknob and immediately found himself inside a wide stadium, just like the one at the Striaton Gym. The battlefield was the same as every official Unova League battlefield he had come across, with the white borders and dirt floor.

One by one, the others followed him in. "So, who's going first?" Hawes asked after he had closed the door.

"Pardon me?" Volan asked, raising his eyebrows.

Lenora laughed and explained, "I'm going to let you all battle me, one at a time. Each of you will fight against one of my Pokemon, and for each win, I give up a badge. Sound fair?"

Thrin shook her head and said, "If you don't mind, Lenora, I'm not interested in Gym challenges. I'm just going to watch these other two."

The Gym Leader nodded, and Hawes allowed Thrin to stand next to him while he served as the referee.

"I'm going first!" Stephan called, rushing out onto the battlefield before Volan could utter a word. _Looks like I'm just going to have to wait,_ he told himself, sighing.

On the bright side, this would be an excellent opportunity to analyze Lenora's battling strategy.

When both Trainers were ready, Hawes stepped forward and did his duty as referee. "This'll be a one-on-one battle between the challenger, Stuven, and the Gym Leader, Lenora! The match will be over when either Pokemon is unable to battle!"

"Why can't anyone get my name right?!" yelled Stephan in frustration.

"Now, call out your Pokemon and begin!" Hawes finished, ignoring Stephan's cry.

"Herdier, go!" called Lenora. From the Poke Ball she produced from her pocket, a large, brown dog-like Pokemon appeared with a confident bark.

Volan took out his Pokedex. "**Herdier, the Loyal Dog Pokemon,**" stated the device. "**For centuries, people have used them to help train Pokemon. It has black, cape-like fur that is very dense and acts as a shock absorber, decreasing any damage inflicted on it. This specimen is female, has the Sand Rush ability, and knows the attacks Take Down, Bite, Leer, and Roar.**"

"Hmm," Volan mused as he watched from the sidelines. "Roar will be useless in a one-on-one battle, so at least Stephan doesn't have to watch out for that. However, the other three will definitely be a problem."

"Oh yeah?" interrupted Stephan, overhearing his muttering. "Just you wait, I'll win this battle in a flash! I choose you, Sawk!"

He tossed his waiting Poke Ball, and out came a blue, humanoid Pokemon wearing a set of white robes. The Pokemon was in a kneeling position with its eyes closed for a moment, then opened its eyes and declared, "Sawk."

Volan turned his Pokedex toward the powerful-looking humanoid. "**Sawk, the Karate Pokemon. Tying their belts more tightly around their waists gets them pumped and makes their punches more destructive. The sound of these punches hitting boulders and trees can be heard from the mountains where they train endlessly. This individual is a mature male and has the Inner Focus ability. His attacks are Karate Chop, Bulk Up, Low Sweep, and Focus Energy.**"

_A Fighting-type, and a powerful one at that,_ Volan thought. _Stephan might have a great chance at winning this. But Lenora's a Gym Leader, and not to be underestimated. _He could tell that Bernice was thinking the same thing.

"Sawk, start out by using Focus Energy!" ordered Stephan. Sawk didn't budge, simply closed its eyes again and concentrated.

"Herdier, get in its face and use Leer," Lenora said.

"Growwwf!" barked Herdier. She bounded across the battlefield and stopped when she reached Sawk, glaring intensely at his face. When Sawk opened his eyes at last, he was momentarily startled at seeing Herdier's angry glare inches away from him.

"Don't let it bother you, Sawk!" called Stephan. "Instead, give Herdier a Karate Chop!"

Sawk finally got to his feet and assumed a fighting stance, its right hand starting to glow white. "Sawwwwwk!" he yelled, charging forward a couple of paces and bringing his hand down onto Herdier.

The dog-like Pokemon winced, but Sawk did as well. His Karate Chop had hit Herdier's black fur, which was indeed tougher than it looked.

"Now, Herdier, use Take Down!" Lenora commanded.

"Grooooohhh!" the Normal-type howled, throwing herself at Sawk. She slammed into his midsection, sending the Fighting-type tumbling to the ground. But he didn't stay down – he simply used his momentum to roll back onto his feet.

"Sawk, Karate Chop again!" yelled Stephan.

"Sawwwwwk!" cried the Karate Pokemon, striking with his glowing hand again. But once again, it inflicted little damage as Herdier maneuvered herself so that the Karate Chop hit her shock-absorbing fur.

_They're going to have to get past those defenses if they want to win this, _Volan realized. _Lenora is indeed tough._

Stephan gritted his teeth as he realized this as well. But Volan could see that his friend still felt confident that he could win. "Use Bulk Up, Sawk!" he cried.

The already beefy Fighting-type flexed, making his muscles bulge.

"Now Low Sweep!" called Stephan.

Sawk then jumped forward and slid toward Herdier, looking like he was about to strike with his right foot. But when Herdier jumped out of the way, his left foot came out at an angle and smashed into the Normal-type's leg, knocking her to the ground.

"Herdier, get up!" called Lenora, clearly trying to think fast.

"Finish with Karate Chop, Sawk!" yelled Stephan triumphantly.

"SAWWWWWK!" screamed Sawk as he leapt towards the upended Herdier. She struggled to get to her feet, but without any luck. Sawk brought his hand down onto her exposed belly with all the force his bulked-up strength would allow.

There wasn't any dramatic cloud of dust that signaled the end of the battle like when Bianca's Snivy defeated Cress' Panpour. The Loyal Dog Pokemon suddenly went stiff from the impact, then slumped limply to the ground. "Groooooohhhh…" she moaned.

"Herdier is unable to battle!" Hawes announced, somewhat disappointed. "So the match goes to Sven's Sawk!"

"Can someone get my name right for once?!" Stephan burst out, while Sawk watched his Trainer with silent exasperation. "Ugh, guess it can't be helped…" the boy conceded. "Sawk, return."

"Sawk," the Fighting-type replied with a bow. "_It was an honor battling with you, Master Steven._"

Bernice suddenly trilled with laughter at Sawk's remark, and no human present could really figure out why.

When Sawk had disappeared into his Poke Ball, Stephan stepped away from his position on the battlefield to make way for Volan. "Good job, Stephan," the Gurei boy congratulated him as they passed each other.

"Y-You know how to m-make a guy happy, V-Volan!" Stephan called after him, crying tears of joy for having his name pronounced correctly. Volan just shook his head with a slight grin.

"Are you ready, hun?" Lenora called across the battlefield.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Volan replied, then turned to Bernice. "Are you ready to win this, girl?"

"Pi-Pidoooooove!" cooed Bernice, spreading her wings confidently and fluttering down to the battlefield.

"I like your fighting spirits, both of you!" said Lenora approvingly. "Now time to battle! Go, Watchog!"

The Pokemon that appeared was a strangely intimidating one. It resembled a taller, leaner Patrat with yellow markings all along its body. Its tail was held vertically and was almost as long as the Pokemon itself. It had its arms crossed confidently, blinking a challenge from its leering red eyes.

"**Watchog, the Lookout Pokemon and the evolved form of Patrat,**" explained Volan's Pokedex. "**When they see an enemy, their tails stand high to alert others. They can stay on the lookout for days by storing berries and seeds in their cheek pouches. If threatened, the markings on their bodies glow bright yellow. This adult female has the ability Keen Eye and the attacks Bite, Retaliate, Hypnosis, and Leer.**"

Volan's eye involuntarily twitched when he read over Watchog's attacks. Bite and Leer were nothing to worry about, but Retaliate and Hypnosis were definitely something to be wary of.

"Bernice," he called in a cautionary voice. "This is a tough opponent, so don't feel bad if we lose this, alright?"

"Doooove!" confirmed Bernice. "_No hard feelings no matter who goes down._"

"That's the spirit!" Volan said with a smile. "Now open up with Quick Attack!"

Bernice absorbed white light from around her and shot forward with it blazing behind her. She seemed faster than ever, but that could have easily been because Volan hadn't battled with her in a while.

"Retaliate!" Lenora retorted, and Watchog charged towards the incoming Pidove, markings glowing slightly.

Volan almost panicked. Retaliate did massive damage if used right after the defeat of a comrade. If it hit, Bernice would almost certainly be knocked out in one hit. "Use your Quick Attack to change direction and get out of there!"

"Dove!" replied Bernice, angling herself away from Watchog. She flew up and to the right, then circled around so that she was directly behind her enemy.

"Now use Gust!" Volan yelled.

"Pidoooooove!" trilled the Normal-and-Flying-type, releasing a huge burst of wind from her now-glowing wings. It slammed into Watchog, who was still running forward, unable to react in time to Bernice's sudden disappearance. The wind caused her to lose her balance and fall.

"Air Cutter while she's down!" Volan ordered immediately.

Bernice flew directly above the fallen Watchog and launched three wind currents with a single flap of her wings. All three of them connected and battered the meerkat-like Pokemon.

"Watchog, get up and use Leer!" Lenora shouted.

"Watch… Watchog…" muttered Watchog, struggling to stand up after the beating she had just went through. Volan could clearly see the bruises and scrapes she had acquired from Bernice's attacks. But she soon shook the pain off and leapt straight into the air at Bernice.

Watchog hovered in the air for a split second as her jump reached its peak, glaring intensely into Bernice's eyes. However, the Pidove was completely unfazed, and Watchog plummeted back to the ground, barely managing to land on her feet.

"But how?" gasped Lenora, shocked that Leer didn't have an effect.

Volan allowed a smirk to cross his face. "Bernice's ability is Big Pecks. First time I've seen it in battle, to be honest. Now Bernice, use Quick Attack again!"

"Dove doooooove!" she cooed shrilly, blazing through the air at Watchog. Already getting tired from her shaky start earlier in the battle, Watchog couldn't compensate for Bernice's speed. As a result, the Pidove plowed into her midsection and sent her sprawling.

"Can you stand, Watchog?" Lenora called desperately.

"Waaatch…" the Lookout Pokemon said shakily, staggering to her feet once more. There was no way she would let herself lose to a tiny bird like Bernice.

"I guess we can't use Leer after all," the Gym Leader muttered. "Oh well, the direct approach works best. Use Bite!"

"Waaaaaatchog!" cried the Normal-type, snapping randomly at the air as she ran toward the hovering Bernice.

"Get out of there by using Gust!" cried Volan. He didn't want Bite to connect, not after what happened four years ago.

"Pidove!" cooed Bernice, giving her wings a single powerful flap. The resulting Gust propelled her straight up into the air and simultaneously caused a cloud of dust to rush into Watchog's face. But thanks to the Keen Eye ability, she wasn't fazed by the flying dirt.

"Air Cutter, go!" Volan yelled up to her.

"Dodge it, Watchog!" Lenora retorted.

Bernice flapped her wings furiously, sending blades of wind shrieking down around the battlefield. Watchog was ready for them, though, and leapt around every single one of them.

"Quick Attack!" ordered Volan.

Even as the last of the Air Cutters fell down around Watchog, Bernice blasted past them and on a direct course for her opponent. However, the Lookout Pokemon grinned and jumped out of the way of that as well.

"Watch Watchog!" she sneered. "_Is that the best you've got?_"

Her remark incensed the already-frustrated Bernice. "Doooooove, Pidoooove! _I'm just getting warmed up!_" she shot back.

"I have to say, Volan, that your Pidove is extremely well trained," Lenora remarked, letting her voice carry across the battlefield. "The bond between you and Bernice is obvious. And strong too, I might add!"

Volan just smiled. "Thanks," he replied. "Watchog is definitely a tough opponent. You've got a strong bond with her as well."

"Hey!" Stephan yelled impatiently. "Are you going to talk, or are you going to fight?!"

"Just watch," Volan muttered.

Then at the same time, both Volan and Lenora commanded, "Hypnosis!"

At exactly the same time, a triangle of orbs appeared around each Pokemon and began to spin wildly around. Both Bernice and Watchog were transfixed by the other's Hypnosis attack, but they managed to keep up their own. Both attacks traveled faster and faster as Bernice and Watchog tried to out-hypnotize the other.

Finally, they couldn't concentrate any longer. Each set of glowing orbs slowly faded as the Pokemon that summoned them fought to stay awake. It was now a matter of who fell asleep first, and if the one left standing would be able to muster the strength to deal the final blow.

Volan and Lenora both waited to see who would drop first. Hawes, Thrin, and Stephan all looked tense as they held their breaths. Suspense was written all over the battlefield.

At last, Watchog couldn't stay awake any longer. She fell face-first into the ground and started snoring.

Then, Bernice allowed herself to give up as well. She fluttered down to earth and landed spread-eagled (spread-pigeoned?) on the ground, asleep in an instant.

Hawes was indecisive. He'd never seen a battle end in a Hypnosis contest before. But finally, he seemed to reach a decision. He raised his arms and said uncertainly, "Um… both Pokemon are unable to battle. But because Watchog fell asleep first, uh, I declare Volan and Bernice to be the winners."

Even as Lenora willed herself to relax and recalled Watchog into her Poke Ball, Volan walked out onto the battlefield and picked Bernice up, holding her comfortably in his arms.

"We did it," he murmured to his sleeping Pokemon. "You held out long enough for us to win. You deserve a nice, long rest." But obviously, Bernice had beaten him to it.

"That was awesome! You won again!" Thrin cheered, running over to hug her brother from behind. He just chuckled sheepishly and said nothing.

"Volan, that was a seriously intense battle out there!" Stephan offered, slapping the Gurei boy on the shoulder. "I think that Pidove of yours could give even Sawk a run for his money!"

Volan shrugged and laughed again. "I doubt that," he said. "Your Sawk was pretty impressive stuff."

Before Stephan could reply, Lenora approached them. She seemed to have something clenched in her fist.

"Excellent job, the both of you," she said. "You've definitely given me the first challenge I've had in a while. I feel absolutely no regret in admitting defeat and giving you these."

She opened her fist and held her hand out to the Trainers. Sitting in her palm were two badges. They consisted of a single long purple rectangle trimmed with gold.

"Take these Basic Badges," Lenora told them with a smile. "You've earned them, several times over."

_Basic Badge? Suits it, I guess,_ Volan thought as he shifted Bernice in his arms in order to take the badge. Stephan did the same.

"Thanks for the battle," Volan said.

"Yeah, it's been fun!" Stephan agreed.

"I had fun just watching you three!" Thrin piped up.

Lenora nodded and shook all of their hands. "You three be careful on your journey, you hear?" she said. "And feel free to drop by the museum again anytime."

"We will," Volan replied.

There was a small interlude in which no one said anything. Finally, Thrin suggested, "It's getting late now, so why not go back to the Pokemon Center? Then we can continue onwards in the morning."

Volan nodded in agreement. "Let's go then," he said, heading toward the door.

Lenora and Hawes waved in farewell as the three Trainers exited the Gym and entered the comforting silence of the library once more.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Badge No. 2 for Volan and Stephan! Now it's on to Castelia City, where they can challenge Burgh and his Bug-types – as well as a certain Trainer I've been looking forward to introducing for a long time…**

**But for now, just wait for the next chapter, my dear readers!**

**Also, while I was writing this, I accidentally called Rayquaza an Elder Dragon! Oops.**

**Lenora: "Why don't you review, hun?"**

**Chapter Question #11: Should Volan and Stephan fight all their Gym battles together like that? Or should I concentrate only on Volan's battles?**

**I'm having trouble deciding, so I'm throwing it open to you readers.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Gust, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Tympole, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Supersonic, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Tepig, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Ember**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**


	22. Pokemon Galore in the Woods

**_Chapter 21 – Pokemon Galore in the Woods_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan and the gang managed to retrieve the Rayquaza skull, and gave it back to its rightful owners, Lenora and Hawes. As a thank-you, Lenora showed them to the hidden Gym and allowed Volan and Stephan to challenge her to a battle. Stephan went first, using his Sawk to easily defeat Lenora's Herdier. Then Volan took down her second Pokemon, Watchog, by using Bernice's Hypnosis, earning both himself and Stephan the Basic Badge!**

-.-.-.-.-.

It was already the middle of the day when Volan, Thrin, and Stephan decided to stop for lunch. They were well inside Pinwheel Forest, following the paved path that would eventually lead them out of the trees. Most of the road was cloaked in shadow, thanks to the leaves of the trees beside it that provided shade. Only the middle of the path was lit by the sun.

Right now, the three Trainers were camped out on the side of the path beside one of the larger trees. Volan and Thrin had already dished out Pokemon food for their eight partners – Bernice, Grunge, Rickie, Oliver, Luna, Sewaddle, Blitzle, and Sawk – and the Pokemon ate while the three humans sat against the tree and managed to put a dent in their newly-replenished food supplies.

"Man, am I stuffed!" Stephan said with satisfaction, leaning back against the trunk and patting his stomach. "I never ate that well on my journey when it was just me!"

"Oh, so you're only tagging along for the food?" Volan asked in an accusatory tone.

"No, not at all!" protested Stephan, earning himself a mocking laugh from the Gurei boy. His harshness had just been a joke.

"Hey, you want to get some more training in before we head off for Castelia City again?" Thrin interjected excitedly. Oliver and Luna looked up from their meal and regarded their mistress with bewildered looks.

"Why the sudden interest?" asked Stephan curiously. "You've never been this eager about training before."

Volan frowned. His sister looked almost desperate, she was so enthusiastic. _Could it be that her near loss against N has convinced her that she needs to be stronger?_ he wondered.

But instead of saying this, Volan just smiled. "Sure," he agreed. "Bernice and I will train with you. I've scanned her with my Pokedex, and it says that she's become strong enough to learn a new attack."

The Pidove, finished with her meal anyways, flew over to perch on his shoulder upon hearing his words. "Pidoooooove! Pidooooove!" she cooed. "_I'd like to get on that too! I want to be stronger for Master Volan!_"

"I battle the winner!" Stephan immediately claimed, making Thrin laugh and Volan smile.

The battle soon got underway. Volan, true to his word, picked Bernice, and Thrin decided to go with Luna. The Munna was the weaker and less experienced of the two, and the younger Gurei wanted to use this opportunity to compensate for that.

"Bernice, Quick Attack!" ordered Volan.

"Doooooove!" she called, blasting towards Luna, whose eyes widened at the Pidove's speed.

"Use Psywave, Luna!" Thrin commanded.

"Muuuuun!" the Psychic-type hummed, releasing a small wave of purple energy at Bernice. The Pidove was coming in too quickly to dodge, and she took a direct hit. Thankfully, the Psywave didn't seem to be very effective in this case.

"Now use Air Cutter!" Volan cried. Bernice then launched a succession of wind currents that swept toward a startled Luna.

"Hit them all with Psywave!" said Thrin, silently hoping that it would work.

Luna concentrated deeply on the incoming projectiles, then rapidly fired four Psywaves, one after the other. Each wave of energy connected solidly with an air current, causing several explosions on impact.

"Yes, we did it!" Thrin cheered, confidence newly restored. "Now use Psybeam!"

"MUNNAAAAA!" cried Luna, firing a huge blast of rainbow lightning straight at Bernice.

It seemed to Volan that her Psybeam got more powerful the more she used it. This one kept going even after plowing into Bernice and knocking her out of the air, blasting harmlessly into the sky above and fading from view.

Meanwhile, Bernice managed to recover from the surprisingly powerful attack and pull out of her spiraling dive just before she hit the ground. Volan could see that the injuries sustained from that Psybeam were worrying.

"Ready to try our new attack?" asked Volan.

"Piiiiii! Doooooove!" answered Bernice. "_Yes! I can use a rest!_"

Volan knew that his Starter was relieved at giving her new move a try. He just hoped it would work. "OK, Bernice," he called, "use Roost!"

The Pidove fluttered down to the ground and closed her eyes. For a second, nothing happened – but all of a sudden, yellow sparkles surrounded her and infused her with a bright yellow glow. When it faded, except for around her wings, all of the damage she had sustained had been healed.

Volan knew that Bernice wouldn't be able to fly for a few minutes after using Roost. He also knew that Thrin was smart enough to figure that out.

"Quick, while she's down!" his sister ordered. "Luna, use another Psybeam!"

"Try to dodge on the ground!" Volan said, hoping that Bernice could pull it off.

The good news was, Bernice managed to jump to the side and out of the way of the multicolored bolt.

The bad news was that it lanced off into a bush and struck something, something that emitted a sharp hiss of pain.

"Uh oh," said Volan.

"What do you think that is?" Thrin gulped nervously.

"I don't think it's going to be in a good mood, whatever it is…" Stephan added.

The unknown creature crawled out of the bush, clearly in pain from the slight burn mark on its flank. It was purple and green in color, with a set of antennae on both its head and tail. Its narrowed, poisonous yellow eyes were focused on Thrin and Luna.

Off to the side, Sewaddle whispered something to Bernice and Rickie. "Wado wado," he said with a slight blush. "_She's kind of cute…_"

"I think that's a Venipede," Stephan muttered, just loud enough for the other two to hear. "They're venomous, and have pretty bad tempers."

"Nice going, Thrin. You made it mad," Volan said sarcastically.

She didn't pay attention to her brother's tone – she was too busy taking out her Pokedex. It said cheerfully, "**Venipede, the Centipede Pokemon. Brutally aggressive, it fights by using its venom, which is powerful enough to stun bird Pokemon that prey on it. It uses its feelers to determine what is going on around it. This individual is a female with the Poison Point ability. Her attacks are Rollout, Poison Sting, Attract, and Screech.**"

Thrin wasn't put off by the Pokedex's description. Quite the opposite, in fact. "I'm going to catch it!" she declared. "Luna, you can do this for me!"

"Mun!" the little Psychic-type agreed.

The Venipede's eyes further narrowed. She was hurt and in a bad mood from being injured while hunting. There was _no way_ she was going to lose a battle against that weakling Munna she was still after. Indeed, this was the same Venipede that had been stalking the gang for an entire day.

"Luna, give Venipede a Psybeam attack!" Thrin cried.

The Munna responded with another jagged bolt of psychic lightning that flashed toward Venipede. The Psybeam struck her hard shell, throwing her to the ground a fair distance away. However, the Bug-and-Poison-type got right back up, sporting a new burn on her exoskeleton and hissing with rage.

"Veni…" the Venipede spat, her antennae shaking and vibrating madly. It wasn't until they started producing an earsplitting ringing noise when Thrin realized she was fighting back.

The Screech attack wasn't nearly as dramatic as Stephan's Sewaddle's, but it hit with twice the force. Luna cringed and cried out in pain as the high-pitched buzzing threatened to make her ears bleed.

The Munna's defenses were down, and the humans were too busy covering their ears to give any commands. The Venipede decided that it was time to strike.

She cut off her attack even as she curled rapidly into a ball. Spinning in place for a moment and making a sound like a car tire screeching on pavement, the Venipede shot forward with a Rollout aimed directly at Luna.

"Veni-PEDE!" she hissed loudly, the moment before her attack hit. The Centipede Pokemon smashed into Luna, prompting another cry of pain as she flew through the air and hit the ground at Thrin's feet.

"Luna, you rest for now," Thrin said soothingly, rummaging in her pocket for Luna's Poke Ball and then recalling her when she had found it. "Oliver, it's up to you now!"

"Tepig!" squealed Oliver, abandoning his almost-empty dish of Pokemon food and running to his mistress' side, ready to do battle with Venipede.

"Venipede…" she hissed. "_Another weakling…_"

"Pig, Tepig!" objected Oliver. "_Hey, watch it!_"

Thrin was more determined than ever to catch Venipede. "Oliver, use Ember at its feet!" she cried, remembering how Luna's Psybeam had more or less glanced off of Venipede's shell. Maybe her underbelly would be weaker.

"Te-PIIIIG!" cried Oliver, firing a burst of fiery light from his nose. It exploded against the ground near Venipede, throwing her off balance and causing her to land helplessly on her back.

"Now use Body Slam!" Thrin ordered. Oliver leapt high into the air and immediately plummeted down on top of Venipede.

"Veni!" squeaked the Centipede Pokemon. The impact of the Fire-type slamming into her belly had momentarily paralyzed her.

"End it with Flame Charge, Oliver!" shouted Thrin, confident that this was the end of the line for Venipede.

"Tepig, Tepig, Tepig…" chanted Oliver. He stomped his feet on the ground faster and faster in an effort to ignite himself.

However, just as he got ready to execute his Flame Charge, Venipede momentarily overcame her paralysis. "VENI!" she shrieked, curling herself into a ball and rolling directly at Oliver. The Rollout attack hit like a bulldozer, hurling Oliver away from Venipede and nearly knocking him out.

"Can you stand, Oliver?" Thrin asked concernedly.

"Teeeeeh… Teeeepig…" panted Oliver, staggering to his feet. In a moment, he looked battle-ready once more, despite his bruises.

"Veni veni!" hissed Venipede, launching a series of purple-colored darts toward Oliver. However, the Poison Sting wasn't meant as an attack, it was merely supposed to give her some cover. As soon as Oliver finished dodging the Poison Stings, Venipede was already nearly on top of him with another, faster Rollout.

"Tail Whip, Oliver!" screamed Thrin, desperate.

Oliver placed his tail in Venipede's path. She rolled right over it, but she didn't actually run it over like Volan, Thrin, and Stephan thought she would. Instead, Oliver's tail acted like a speed bump, making Venipede sail into the air and spin out of control. She landed on her back again.

But this time, the Bug-and-Poison-type rolled onto her feet again and faced Oliver once more. Almost flirtatiously, she winked at him with a glaring yellow eye, sending a series of heart-shaped projectiles floating towards him.

Volan's eyes widened. "It's Attract!" he cried in alarm.

"You did _not_ just reference that," Stephan said, shaking his head.

"Oliver, use Ember! Wide spray!" shouted Thrin.

The Tepig took a deep breath and snorted out a continuous beam of embers, swinging his snout around in order to spread his attack all over the place. Each heart that met the flames was incinerated.

"V-Veni?!" hissed Venipede, shocked that her flawless strategy for taking down male Pokemon had failed.

Thrin's confidence had gotten another boost as she saw Oliver decimate Venipede's attack. "Give her another Flame Charge!" she shouted.

And then her spirits dropped again when Venipede interrupted Oliver's attack with Rollout, dealing even more super-effective damage and sending the Fire Pig Pokemon flying into his mistress.

Thrin got up with a pained groan. Oliver was struggling to get up and into battle again. She gently picked him up and set him down on the ground in front of her. "Oliver, you don't have to battle any more if you don't want to. You're badly hurt!" she pleaded, not wanting to see her beloved Starter injured any more than he had to be.

But Oliver was stubborn. "TEPIG!" he cried, suddenly rearing up on his hind legs. "_I WANT TO WIN THIS!_"

And then, all of a sudden, his little body began to glow and shine with a bright blue light. Swirling bands of this same illumination appeared and whirled around the Tepig even as the glow reached its apex. The three Trainers had to shield their eyes as Oliver's glowing form stretched and grew, undergoing an awesome transformation.

With a final flash of light, the blue glow dispersed into tiny sparkles that fell down around Oliver. But he was no longer a mere Tepig.

"PIGNITE!" he squealed – if yelling in a much deeper voice could be called a squeal.

Awestruck, Thrin took out her Pokedex once more and scanned the new Pokemon. "**Pignite, the Fire Pig Pokemon, and the evolved form of Tepig. When its internal fire flares up during periods of anger, its movements become sharper and swifter. Whatever it eats becomes fuel for this internal flame. It emits smoke when in trouble. Upon evolving, this specimen has forgotten Ember and learned Arm Thrust.**"

"That is so cool!" Stephan shouted.

"It's tremendous!" Volan agreed.

"AWESOME!" Thrin cheered, ecstatic. "Alright, Oliver, show Venipede your Arm Thrust attack!"

"Nite, Pignite!" Oliver replied, charging forward at the now-completely-flabbergasted Venipede. The new Fire-and-Fighting-type struck out continuously with powerful jabs of his fists, battering the Centipede Pokemon mercilessly. He gave her one last punch, which caused her to skid across the ground painfully.

Injured and frightened now, Venipede made a break for it, skittering toward the safety of the bushes. But Thrin was faster, whipping out an empty Poke Ball from her pocket and throwing it with all of her might at Venipede.

Just before the Bug-and-Poison-type disappeared into the foliage, the Poke Ball struck her and absorbed her inside. Thrin looked at it tensely, mouth nothing more than a firm line.

Finally, the Poke Ball stopped its struggles, and tilted back slightly on the ground. Venipede now belonged to Thrin.

"That was amazing!" Stephan enthused. "Your Starter evolved AND you got yourself a new partner!"

Thrin picked up the Poke Ball and jumped up and down, cheering, "I got a Venipede!"

Oliver jumped up and down with her, beyond happy with his new evolution. "Nite! Nite! Nite!" he chanted, blowing embers out of his nostrils in celebration.

Volan recalled Grunge and Rickie into their Poke Balls as Stephan did the same with his three Pokemon. "Let's go, Thrin," her brother called, already picking up the dishes lying around. "We should get to Castelia City and have Nurse Joy look at your Pokemon. All three of them are beat."

Thrin suddenly calmed down and nodded. "You're right," she agreed. "Onward to Castelia City!"

-.-.-.-.-.

There was a flash of color as the Pokemon zipped through the trees, popping into existence for a split second before fading away again. Its sharp ears picked up the sound of a pair of battling Pokemon. Immediately, the creature became visible again, startling any Pokemon nearby, and headed off in that direction. Being a peace-lover as it was, the Pokemon wanted whomever was fighting to calm down and part as friends.

The mysterious creature faded out of sight just as it burst into a clearing. It saw the road leading out of the forest, and the humans that looked like they were just about ready to travel along it. Its bright eyes saw the Poke Ball in the girl's fist and the Pignite walking alongside her, and it deduced that whatever battle they had been a part of was over. The loser had been captured, apparently.

Disappointed that it couldn't help save a wild Pokemon from capture, but still glad the fight was over, the mysterious Pokemon began to float away when something caught its eye.

It turned around and, with a huge jolt of fear, saw the thinner of the two human boys staring straight at it. The Pokemon panicked momentarily – had it unwittingly become visible again? Could this human see through its camouflage?

The Pokemon was relieved to find that it was still invisible, and that the human's eyes were swimming with confusion. So the boy couldn't see it, then. But for some reason, he was looking in its direction. How could he know that this Pokemon was there without seeing it?

It was then that the Pokemon saw a brief flash of white in his eyes. The Pokemon's heart raced with excitement as it recognized the shadow of the white dragon. Suddenly, its opinion of this human was all turned around. It was intensely curious about him, but still cautious enough so that it wasn't willing to reveal itself just yet.

The invisible Pokemon waited until the boy with the white dragon in his eyes had turned around to follow his friends, and then silently followed.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Not only did Bernice learn Roost, not only did Thrin catch an awesome Bug-type, not only is there a new and even more mysterious stalker on the Gureis' tails, but Oliver has evolved into Pignite!**

**I've always found it funny that the Fire-type Starter line in Unova is based on pigs. It's practically screaming "roast pork".**

**Oliver: "Nite, pig Pignite! ****_In honor of my evolution, please review!_****"**

**Admiral Ackbar: "It's Attract!"**

**Chapter Question #12: Which kind of Starter do you want to see in future Pokemon titles?**

**I've made up tons of Starter ideas, but my favorites are a Fire-and-Flying-type mosquito (that evolves from a cockroach named Cockroast), and a Water-and-Dark-type anaconda.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Tympole, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Supersonic, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Venipede (female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Screech, Poison Sting, Attract**


	23. A Visit to Burgh and his Bugs

**_Chapter 22 – A Visit to Burgh and his Bugs_**

**NOTE: A ****_massive_**** thank-you to Coli Chibi, who has kindly given me permission to introduce another character into this fanfic…**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan, Thrin, and Stephan took a lunch break in the middle of Pinwheel Forest. At the urging of Thrin, they decided to train. Thrin and Luna went up against Volan and Bernice, and during the battle Bernice managed to learn Roost. However, the fight was cut short when Luna's Psybeam missed and hit the hunting Venipede instead, angering her. After a long, intense battle, during which Luna was knocked out and Oliver evolved into Pignite, Venipede was captured in Thrin's Poke Ball. However, no one knew that their battle had attracted a visitor, except perhaps Volan…**

-.-.-.-.-.

The group reached Castelia City by mid-afternoon. After leaving the natural wonder of Pinwheel Forest, they had begun to cross Skyarrow Bridge, which was just as awe-inspiring and magnificent as people often said it was. Volan was amazed to discover that Skyarrow Bridge was actually two bridges in one – one for pedestrians, and one for transport trucks! Who knew?

His shock was not diminished when they finally crossed the bridge an hour later and made into the city. It was massive! Gigantic! And completely claustrophobic. Volan was definitely uncomfortable as the tall, tall buildings and many people seemed to press closely together, making it difficult to move around.

But right now, the Gurei siblings plus Stephan were relaxing for a while in the Castelia Pokemon Center. Both boys were sitting in the plush armchairs while Bernice perched on the arm of Volan's chair and Thrin stood up, accepting her Poke Balls from Nurse Joy. Oliver, apparently, was fine, while Venipede and Luna had been hurt a little more badly.

The younger Gurei thanked the nurse and her Audino, and as they bustled off, she took Venipede's Poke Ball in hand. "Come on out, Venipede!" she said cheerfully as she released the newest member of her team.

Said member appeared while staring directly at Thrin. It was obvious that she was _not_ happy.

"Hi, Venipede! I'm Thrin, and I'm going to be your new Trainer!" the girl said sweetly, but it was clear that Venipede could not care less. She hissed with displeasure and turned away huffily.

It just wasn't Venipede's day. She had wanted to take down the human and her Pokemon so that she could get stronger and eventually evolve! She definitely had not counted on being badly pounded and then captured by the weakling human. And to top things off, the human was trying to be friendly to her?! No, this wouldn't do at all.

"Veni," she spat, glaring at Thrin contemptuously.

"Wh-what am I doing wrong?" Thrin whispered to Volan and Stephan, looking upset.

"You can't automatically assume that when you catch a Pokemon, it'll like you," Stephan said matter-of-factly.

"Veni, Venipede," agreed the Bug-and-Poison-type. Now _there_ was a Trainer she would have liked being caught by.

Volan spoke up next. "The Pokedex said that Venipede are 'brutally aggressive'. This little one came along looking for a fight, and then lost and was captured. A Pokemon like that isn't going to think highly of you from the get-go."

"Pede," Venipede said. Another Trainer she didn't mind.

_Why? Why, of all humans, did I have to get caught by the weakest little girl I've ever seen?!_ she raged inwardly.

Volan kept talking. "You just need some time to bond with her. Spend some time with her, fight a few battles, and all that. Maybe you'll come to understand each other."

"Veni," Venipede hissed, turning her back on Thrin.

"Or maybe," Volan continued, "Venipede attacked you because she wanted to get stronger. If you battle a lot with her and win a few, she might come to respect you.

"Venipede," he suddenly added, looking at the Centipede Pokemon. "You want to get stronger, and Thrin wants to be your friend. If the two of you work together, then it'll be a win-win situation. What do you say?"

Venipede considered the boy's words. She _did_ want to evolve and crush any Pokemon that got in her way. And she supposed that the only way that she'd see any battles, and thus get stronger, was if she worked with the weakling girl. She sighed and decided that it was, indeed, a win-win situation.

The Bug-and-Poison-type turned back to her new Trainer and grudgingly held out a stubby foreleg. "Veni," she hissed, trying to at least be polite.

Thrin understood and gently shook the limb. "Glad to see you're willing to at least give me a chance," she said. "Now, if you're going to be traveling with me, you'll need a name."

The Gurei girl thought of a fitting name for the bold, aggressive insect. And after a moment of contemplation, it clicked.

"I know!" she exclaimed, then looked down at Venipede. "How does the name Valkyrie sound?"

The Centipede Pokemon thought about it, before nodding her head. It was a pretty good name, she had to admit.

"And now that that's done and over with…" Stephan said, getting up and stretching. "Why don't we go check out the Gym and see if we can get another badge before dinner!"

"Sounds good," Volan agreed, and Bernice flew back to his shoulder. "Thrin, you should let Valkyrie walk with you instead of keeping her cooped up in her Poke Ball."

"Great idea!" his sister enthused, then picked up Valkyrie. The Bug-and-Poison-type squirmed momentarily before settling herself in the girl's arms. It was better than walking, at least.

"Let's move!" Stephan cried, pointing dramatically out the doors. "And towards the Castelia Gym we go!"

-.-.-.-.-.

As it turned out, the city was so large that there was no way the three Trainers would be able to find their way without any help. Stephan ended up stopping by a huge map of the city plastered on a billboard in order to pick up one of the hundreds of maps that were available there for free. It took a few minutes of searching and mild arguing until they decided on the best, quickest route to the Castelia Gym.

The streets were less crowded, as more and more people were retiring into their homes for the rest of the day after a busy day at work. Volan felt much less claustrophobic then when he had first arrived as people began to vanish from the street. Soon, it was just like walking down another road in a smaller town, with only the occasional person passing them with only a brief wave or smile to acknowledge their presence.

Another hour of walking passed before the trio finally made it to the Castelia Gym. It was located on a much quieter street – indeed, there was hardly anyone else walking down it except them. The Gym itself wasn't exactly hard to miss, for it was actually bright green and yellow, patterned like an insect's wing.

_Weird,_ Volan thought idly. _Then again, this is Burgh's Gym._

The only other noticeable thing on this street – once you managed to tear your eyes away from the extravagant Gym – was a building directly opposite of it with a huge banner hanging from it. The banner was emblazoned with the Team Plasma logo, the same one that was on the uniforms of the grunts they had fought many times. The sight of the symbol, this time magnified to one hundred times its usual size, made Volan want to vomit.

"Say, Volan," said Thrin as they were walking up the street and toward the Gym. "I'm thinking about taking the Gym challenge just this once. I want to try out Oliver again, as well as let Valkyrie fight a few battles."

The Venipede looked up at her mistress. "Veni!" she hissed enthusiastically. Finally, the weakling girl was speaking her language.

"That's a good idea," Stephan agreed. "But remember – I call going first! I'm going to be the first to get that Gym badge!"

Volan and Thrin just snickered and let it slide.

When they reached the Gym, they found the sliding doors to be unlocked. What they found on the inside, however, was far less ordinary.

They were in a small, bare room covered in red velvet. A few paintings adorned the walls. But the thing that caught their eye immediately was the huge wall of honey that poured down directly in front of them. Like any artificial waterfall – or in this case, honey-fall – it seemed to go on and on endlessly.

"Don't tell me we have to go through that to get to Burgh," Thrin groaned.

"Looks like it…" Volan said, looking at the honey with distaste.

"Doooove doooove!" protested Bernice, shaking her head. "_I'm going to get my feathers dirty!_" This wasn't vanity on her part – with unclean feathers, she wouldn't be able to fly.

Valkyrie, however, leapt right out of Thrin's arms and vanished behind the honey-fall.

"She seems excited," remarked Stephan.

"She is a Bug-type, after all," replied Volan matter-of-factly.

Reluctantly, the three humans followed. Volan made sure to put Bernice in the inside pocket of his hoodie before going through the honey. All three of them emerged gasping and spitting and dripping with thick, viscous liquid.

"Ugh… sw-sw-sweet…" Volan retched, spitting out a glob of honey that had landed in his mouth. Thrin and Stephan had similar reactions.

When they were all finished, the three Trainers walked deeper into the Gym. In mere minutes, they came across another honey-fall, but with a difference – this one was blocked by a barred gate.

"Welcome to the Castelia Gym…" muttered Stephan distastefully.

-.-.-.-.-.

It took Volan, Thrin, and Stephan a while to get past the five total honey-falls. Four of the five were blocked by identical barred gates. As it turned out, the puzzle to this Gym was to find the hidden switches to unlock the gates and then proceed through the honey. By the time they reached the last honey-fall, they'd had enough honey to last a lifetime.

At least Bernice was dry. And they had caught up to Valkyrie as well, so that was something.

Luckily, Burgh or whomever had designed the Gym had made sure to include a shower room after that less-than-pleasant ordeal. The men's rooms and women's rooms were separate, obviously, and the showers were enclosed in stalls. The checkered tiles on the floor were alternating green and yellow.

Volan, Thrin, and Stephan showered and dried their clothes off – yes, there were clothes-driers as well in there – as quickly as possible, then joined up again and approached the door that said "Gym Leader's Chamber".

Stephan knocked. There was no reply. "He must not be home," the large boy said with frustration.

"Shh," Volan whispered, holding his ear to the door. _I thought I heard something in there,_ he thought.

Then a muffled explosion caused the room to shake and the doorknob to rattle, and Volan jumped back about a foot in fright. Bernice leapt off his shoulder for a moment before fluttering back down.

Thrin, who had started to laugh, quickly calmed herself down. "Sounds like there's a battle going on in there," she observed.

"I wonder…" murmured Stephan, pushing gently past Volan and reaching for the doorknob. When he twisted it, it turned easily. "It's unlocked! You think we should go in?"

Volan shrugged. "It kind of feels like barging in without warning…" he said uncomfortably. "But if you and Thrin want to, I don't mind."

Thrin nodded, and on that cue, Stephan pushed open the door. Immediately, the sounds of battle reached their ears.

The battlefield had a similar atmosphere to the Battle Club's battlefield in Nacrene City. It was a vast, greenhouse-like room with windows covering the entirety of the walls and ceiling. In this case, though, it actually WAS a greenhouse! Trees and flowers grew from long, rectangular plantations lining the walls. In the exact center of the huge room was the battlefield.

On the far end of the battlefield was none other than Burgh himself. The curly-haired man shouted each order to his Pokemon with a dramatic flair. The Pokemon itself was a tall, green mantis-like creature with a huge smile on its face.

However, the challenger and his Pokemon on the other end were very different. The boy was about Volan's age – if he was a typical Trainer, 15 years old as opposed to Volan's age of 16 – and had blonde hair and radiant blue eyes, almost the same shade as Volan's. He wore a simple outfit consisting of a yellow T-shirt and blue shorts.

The unknown boy's Pokemon was equally unfamiliar to Volan. It looked like, to put it bluntly, a giant butterfly. It dipped and rolled elegantly through the air as it dodged Burgh's Pokemon's attacks.

The two Gureis' Pokedexes were out immediately. Thrin held hers up to the green mantis-like Pokemon. "**Leavanny, the Nurturing Pokemon. Upon finding a small Pokemon, usually a Sewaddle, it weaves clothing for it from leaves and silk. When it lays eggs, Leavanny will keep them warm with rotting leaves. This specimen is an adult female with the Swarm ability, and knows Razor Leaf, Struggle Bug, Slash, and String Shot.**"

Volan scanned the other Pokemon. "**Butterfree, the Butterfly Pokemon. Native to the Kanto region, this Pokemon loves pollen. It can locate even the smallest patch of flowers in a field of grass, and scatters toxic dust from its wings when threatened. This specimen is a mature female with the Compound Eyes ability. Her attacks are Psybeam, Silver Wind, Supersonic, and Sleep Powder.**"

Putting away the digital encyclopedia, Volan was just in time to see the Butterfree knock Leavanny down with a powerful Silver Wind attack. The referee, whom Volan vaguely recognized – _What was his name? Something like… Clifford? Kludd?_ Volan thought – declared the challenger with the Butterfree the winner.

"That was an excellent battle!" Burgh enthused, handing over something Volan couldn't see, but assumed to be a badge. "It was made even more insectible – I mean, incredible – due to the fact it was against a fellow Bug-type enthusiast!"

Before the Trainer could reply, Burgh's eyes flicked toward his audience, and his face split apart in a wide grin. "Volan! Thrin! Sven!" he cried, beckoning them over gleefully.

"Please, get my name right!" Stephan cried uselessly.

"You know these three?" asked the Trainer, looking them over one by one as the Butterfree flew down to sit on his shoulder. Coincidentally, it was his right shoulder, the same shoulder that Bernice frequented on Volan.

"Oh, my apologies!" exclaimed Burgh, a little melodramatically. "Allow me to introduce my good friends Volan, Thrin, and Stu. My friends, this is Tony. He's moved to Unova all the way from Kanto!"

_Interesting,_ Volan mused, the icy side of him coming to the surface again. _That explains the Butterfree._

Tony looked at the three of them somewhat shyly. "Uh, nice to meet you all," he said. "I'm Tony Miller, and this is my partner Lucky."

"Freeeeh!" chirped the Butterfree, raising a stubby hand in greeting.

Volan looked at them coldly. "Volantes, Volan for short," he said. "This here is Bernice, my own Starter."

"Dooooove!" trilled Bernice, waving a wing at the duo.

In his mind, the old Volan – the one he had locked up four years ago – scolded him. _You're bound to meet a lot of new people when you're on a journey. Get used to it._

The newer, icier Volan retorted, _Shut up._

"Pleasure to meet you, Tony!" greeted Stephan, reaching out and pumping the boy's hand enthusiastically. "My name's Stephan. Again, it's nice to meet you."

"Th-thanks, Stefan," Tony said, wrenching his arm free protectively.

"I'm starting to forget how my name's pronounced…" muttered Stephan.

Thrin stepped forward, Valkyrie once again in her arms. "Hi, my name's" –

"Oh, you have a Venipede?!" Tony interrupted her excitedly, bending down to get a closer look at the Bug-and-Poison-type. "Wow, she's beautiful! Did you just catch her?"

"Um, yes…" Thrin answered cautiously.

"Bit of a fanatic, aren't you?" Stephan inquired, not in an unfriendly way.

Tony looked back at him. "Yeah, I love Bug-types! In fact, my entire team is made entirely up of them!"

Volan raised his eyebrows. "Don't you think that's kind of stupid, compatibility-wise? Shouldn't Trainers have a balanced team of Pokemon, to help combat each others' weaknesses?"

"My Bug-types have got me this far," was all Tony said with a shrug.

"Freeh! Freeh freeeeh!" agreed Lucky. "_I deserve most of the praise, thank you._"

"…Fair enough…" Volan muttered after a second.

The insect-loving Trainer excitedly dug in his pocket and drew a Poke Ball. His gaze was once more on Thrin and Valkyrie. "I have a Venipede too, want to see?"

The girl glanced at her brother and friends. Burgh was beaming, Stephan looked indifferent, and Volan was frowning distastefully. Finally, she replied, "Why not?" and put Valkyrie down on the ground.

Tony clicked the button on his Poke Ball, and it opened in a flash of light. The Venipede that appeared was a little larger and darker in color than Valkyrie. A scan from Volan's Pokedex revealed that it was male, and went by the name of Strike.

"This is Strike, my own Venipede!" Tony said proudly. "I've done a lot of training with him, and he's pretty tough!"

The larger Bug-type was eyeing Valkyrie with interest. The female Venipede glared back at him balefully.

Strike scuttled a little closer to her. He spoke to her in a slightly deeper voice than she had. "Venipede, veni. _Hey, beautiful,_" he said suggestively.

At those words, Valkyrie's glare increased in intensity until it could have melted iron. "Pede, veni veni," she spat back. "_If you don't want to get flattened, I'd suggest not going any further._"

Thrin didn't understand the words, but she recognized the murderous look in Valkyrie's eyes. "Sorry," she apologized to Tony. "Valkyrie isn't very friendly…" Hastily, the girl scooped up her Venipede so Strike wouldn't be the victim of some unspeakably violent act.

"Say, how about a battle to see which one of our Venipede is stronger?" Tony asked her, now completely ignoring Volan and Stephan.

"Oh, you're on!" agreed Thrin, a competitive fire in her eyes.

"Veni veni," hissed Valkyrie. "_I'm going to enjoy this._"

Burgh suddenly interrupted them. "Say, why not make it a Double Battle? You and Volan versus Tony."

Volan joined them. "I'd certainly like to see how this Trainer handles himself with a team consisting of only one dominant type."

Tony's temper flared. "Are you insulting my Bug-types?" he demanded.

"No, I'm insulting your obsession with them," Volan replied coldly, earning himself a harsh slap to the back of the head, courtesy of Thrin.

The battle got underway a minute later. Burgh allowed the three Trainers to use his battlefield, and acted as the referee. Stephan watched on the sidelines.

"Lucky, Strike, let's win this!" cried Tony, and his two insects took their places on the battlefield.

"Freeeeeh!" trilled Lucky confidently. "_I could take these pushovers with both wings tied behind my back!_"

"Veni, Venipede," Strike hissed, his attention on Valkyrie again. "_I'll go easy on you if you'd like, gorgeous._"

Valkyrie leapt out of Thrin's arms and onto the battlefield. "Pede pede. _Don't, it'll be more satisfying when I tear you apart._"

"Let's win this, Bernice," Volan told her determinedly.

"Pidoooooove!" she cooed, flapping strongly onto the battlefield and hovering in place.

"Ready, you three?" called Burgh, and received nods all around in return. "Then, begin the battle!"

Instantly, Tony was barking commands. "Lucky, begin with Sleep Powder on the bird, and Strike, you use Rollout on Valkyrie!"

"Freeeeeh!" cried the Butterfree, soaring leisurely towards Bernice while spreading a green dust from her wings. On the ground, Strike curled into a ball and barreled toward Valkyrie.

"Screech!" called Thrin.

Valkyrie's antennae began to vibrate with a piercing shriek. The sound caused Lucky to falter in the air and Strike to stop rolling. Both tried in vain to cover their ears.

"Bernice, Air Cutter!" ordered Volan.

"DOOOOOVE!" she shrieked shrilly, flapping her wings and sending a storm of air currents at the two Bug-types. Lucky was hit solidly and was thrown to the ground, while Strike's exoskeleton managed to deflect the worst of the damage.

"Silver Wind, Lucky!" cried Tony.

The Butterfree's wings began to flap, creating a huge gust of wind while adding sparkling silver bits from her wings. The wind slammed into both Bernice and Valkyrie, throwing them back toward their Trainers.

Tony wasn't going to let their momentary helplessness pass him by. "Strike, use Poison Tail on the Pidove!" he ordered.

"Pede!" the male Venipede replied. The antennae on his tail glowed purple and became razor sharp as he scuttled rapidly towards the downed Bernice.

"Get between them and use Attract!" Thrin commanded.

"Venipede," hissed Valkyrie. She shot between Strike and his target, then winked at him. A dozen heart-shaped projectiles appeared from thin air and immediately surrounded the shocked Venipede. Before he could react, the hearts closed in and joined into one large heart that formed around him before disappearing.

The effect was instant. His Poison Tail attack faded away as he stared lovingly at Valkyrie, deaf to his Trainer's shouts to snap out of it.

"Bernice, Quick Attack!" cried Volan.

"Piiiiii... DOOOOOVE!" the Pidove trilled as she blasted toward Lucky at a supersonic speed. The Butterfree, however, managed to twist herself out of the way.

"Freeeeeh!" she scoffed. "_You call that a Quick Atta…_"

Bernice turned around in mid-air and slammed into Lucky's back, driving the Bug-and-Flying-type into the ground. The Butterfree's words were abruptly cut off.

"Rollout, Valkyrie!" Thrin shouted, pointing at the love-struck Strike.

"PEDE!" growled Valkyrie. "_Here's a REAL Rollout!_" She curled herself into a ball, revved herself up, and then launched herself directly at Strike. He made no effort to defend himself as the smaller Venipede smashed into him at thirty miles an hour.

"Again!" the younger Gurei said, enjoying herself.

But just as Valkyrie curved a wide turn around the battlefield to go for Strike again, the exit door burst open. Unable to see, and thinking the sudden noise was Strike, Valkyrie sped off in that direction.

"Burgh, we need your – WHOAAAA!" cried the boy that rushed in, throwing himself to the ground as the Venipede hurled herself at his face. She missed, smashed into the wall instead, and uncurled, making little insect-like whimpering noises.

"Stop the battle!" Burgh called, running from his referee position over to the newcomer. Volan, Thrin, Stephan, and Tony all exchanged glances and ran over, followed by their Pokemon.

There were a total of four people who entered – there was a dark-haired boy with baseball cap, a young man with a suit and green hair, and a purple-haired, brown-skinned girl. These three were unknown to Volan, although he vaguely recalled seeing them at Nacrene City's Battle Club.

However, the fourth person was very well-known to him. She entered the room with her face buried in her hands, sobbing hysterically.

"Bianca?!" exclaimed Volan and Thrin in unison.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Again, a thousand thank-yous to Coli Chibi for letting me add Tony as a supporting character! I just hope I portrayed his character alright. And if you ever want me to return the favor, just ask!**

**Also, to you other readers – if you have an OC you want to make a cameo in this story, just tell me. I MIGHT be willing to let them appear sometime.**

**Valkyrie's name comes from some Norse myth. I don't know much, but they're apparently female warriors sent by the gods, or something of that sort. I thought it suited the bad-tempered little Bug-type. Poor Strike…**

**Valkyrie: "Veni, Venipede. ****_Review, or I'll destroy you._****"**

**Chapter Question #13: Your top three favorite 1****st**** Gen Pokemon! What are they?**

**Mine are Aerodactyl, Scyther, and Arbok, in that order.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:**

**Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Tympole, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Supersonic, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Screech, Poison Sting, Attract**


	24. A New Ally in Castelia Sewers

**_Chapter 23 – A New Ally in Castelia Sewers_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**The gang made it to Castelia City, where Volan managed to help his sister talk some sense into her new Venipede. After agreeing with the newly-dubbed Valkyrie to work together from now on, the trio headed to the Gym and made it through the sticky honey-related puzzle that awaited them. However, their efforts were for naught – someone was already battling Burgh! The new Trainer introduced himself as Tony (huzzah) and subsequently battled Volan and Thrin. Just as the battle got intense, it was interrupted by three unfamiliar people and a sobbing Bianca!**

-.-.-.-.-.

"WHAT?!" shrieked Thrin.

"Are you serious?!" demanded Volan.

"Team Plasma's at it again?!" asked Stephan.

"Pidooooove?!" trilled Bernice.

Burgh had led the distraught Bianca over to the edge of one of the huge gardens ringing the greenhouse, sitting her down on the waist-height wall that held in the dirt and plants. Thrin and Burgh sat beside her, comforting her as she spilled out her story along with her tears.

The story she indeed had to tell was a shocking one. Apparently, Bianca's Pokemon – her Lillipup and Munna, to be precise – had been stolen by Team Plasma! Her screams had evidently alerted three others to her predicament, and they offered to take her to the Gym, where they felt the Gym Leader would sort things out.

And right now, he was busy doing just that, in his head, as he sat next to Bianca with an arm wrapped around her shoulders. Burgh's head was ducked as he thought deeply about what could possibly be done about this. As he did so, the others used the opportunity to talk amongst themselves.

"Team Plasma is really pushing it this time," growled Volan, clenching his fists until they turned white.

"They've gone from stealing skulls to mugging innocent girls!" Stephan pronounced angrily. It looked like steam would come from his ears any minute.

"So, are you guys friends with Bianca or something?" the Murkrow-haired boy suddenly interjected, face a mask of confusion.

Volan glared at him icily. He definitely wasn't in the mood to be forced to meet even more strangers. "And who might you be?" he asked coldly.

If the black-haired boy noticed his hostility, he didn't show it. "I'm Ash," he said, giving them a thumbs-up. "I'm from the Kanto region originally. I traveled here from Pallet Town with my partner, Pikachu."

A small yellow Pokemon suddenly appeared at their feet and gave them a friendly smile. "Pi Pikachu!" it chirped, raising a stubby forearm.

"You're from Kanto, huh? Just like Weevil Underwood over here," Thrin remarked, jerking a thumb at Tony. The insect-lover raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"My name's Iris," greeted the purple-haired girl. "I'm from Opelucid City. This is my friend Axew," she added, pointing at her impressive mane of hair.

Volan and Thrin were both startled to see a green dinosaur-like Pokemon poke its head out from her hair. "Yew Axew!" it squeaked.

Upon the creature's appearance, Volan's Pokedex was out and running its digital mouth. "**Axew, the Tusk Pokemon. They use their rapidly-growing fangs to crush berries and mark their territory on trees. If one ever breaks, a new one will grow in its place. This newborn male has the Rivalry ability and the attacks Scratch, Leer, and Dragon Rage.**"

The green-haired, suited young man stepped forth. He looked vaguely familiar, and yet Volan knew that he'd never met him before. The man bowed and said with a flourish, "My name's Cilan, a Pokemon connoisseur and Gym Leader of Striaton City."

It clicked. Cilan was Cress and Chili's brother, the one that apparently left to go on a journey. The suit was identical to the ones his brothers wore.

Volan was about to get back to discussing Team Plasma with his friends when Cilan suddenly stepped forward and stared intently at Bernice. "Hmm, a Pidove. Interesting choice of travel partner, I must say. Might I do an evaluation as to how you and this Pokemon are compatible?"

"An evaluation, you say?" Volan growled. "For the Pokemon that's been my best friend since I was born? I highly doubt that'll be necessary."

It was safe to say that Volan disliked the pompous connoisseur immediately.

"We have to do something about Team Plasma!" Stephan said, stomping his foot to punctuate his statement. "Pokemon thieves can't get away with doing these things! We should stop them!"

"Yeah, but how?" Tony asked. "Finding a couple of people in Castelia City would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Even with those crazy uniforms of theirs."

"Well, they're suspicious people," Cilan mused, stroking his chin. "We'd be able to find them in a place where suspicious people are able to be found!"

"There's a stroke of genius," Volan drawled sarcastically, making Cilan blanch.

Burgh suddenly raised his head, a spark of realization in his eyes. "You're right!" he announced, jumping to his feet. "I just got an inspiration! There are only two places where suspicious people can be found – Narrow Street and the Castelia Sewers!"

"I guess we'll have to split up and check both of those places then!" Thrin said, and Bianca looked up with watery eyes.

Burgh rapidly took charge. He was the Gym Leader, after all. "Here's the plan," he began to explain. "Volan, Iris, and Ash will check out the sewers for any sign of Team Plasma, while Tony, Steven, Cilan, and I go investigate Narrow Street! Any questions?"

Thrin raised her hand. "What about me?" she asked.

"You, Thrin, will stay here in the Gym with Bianca," Burgh answered matter-of-factly. Thrin looked simultaneously disappointed and relieved, while Valkyrie looked outraged. If there was fighting to be done, she wanted to be in the middle of it!

"We'll be back when we've gotten Bianca's Pokemon back. Just sit tight and wait for us. You'll be safe here," Burgh said, before leading the others out the door.

Bianca and Thrin sat there in silence for a few minutes. The blonde was no longer crying, although she would hiccup or sniffle occasionally. Thrin patted her on the back whenever she did this. Valkyrie, meanwhile, was sulking.

Thrin noticed her Venipede's bad mood and decided to do something that would kill two Pidove with one stone – _Pardon the expression,_ she thought with a grimace, thinking of Bernice. She planned to get rid of Valkyrie's bad mood and take Bianca's mind off of her missing Pokemon.

"Say, Bianca," the younger Gurei began.

When the blonde girl looked at her questioningly, Thrin grinned and asked, "Why not call out Snivy and have a Pokemon battle with my new Venipede?"

"Veni!" cried Valkyrie, scuttling in circles ecstatically.

Bianca sniffled again and attempted a grin. It fell short, but Thrin thought it was great. "Sure," the other girl replied. "I'll battle you. Maybe we'll even get strong enough to defeat Team Plasma next time they try to steal my Pokemon!"

Thrin's smile grew even wider. Now _that_ was the old Bianca she knew.

-.-.-.-.-.

"Ugh, I hate sewers! They're so dirty and smelly and damp!" Iris complained, frantically wiping her hair clean after an unexpected rain of moisture pattered down on her head.

"Ax Axew!" the Dragon-type agreed, diving into his mistress' hair.

"For the third time, keep your voice down!" hissed Volan from up ahead. "Team Plasma will hear you if they're indeed down here!"

Iris gave him a scalding look, but he ignored it and kept walking down the concrete tunnels. It wasn't that bad down here – there wasn't much water besides the rivers of waste water that ran down here, and it was surprisingly cleanly. The air was stale, and moisture constantly dripped down from the ceiling, but that was about it. For a sewer, it was quite pleasant.

However, he seemed to be the only one that thought so, judging from the whispered complaints coming from behind him.

"So, why would Team Plasma come down here anyways?" asked Ash, folding his arms behind his head. At least he was making an effort to be quiet.

Iris rolled her eyes. "To hide, obviously! What a little kid!" she chastised him.

"Pika pi," said Pikachu, sighing.

"Quickly, you two," Volan called back. "I see signs of recent activity down this side tunnel over here."

"You know, maybe it would help if we had a plan instead of rushing into things like this," hinted Iris.

"I do have a plan," Volan said seriously, turning around and looking straight at her face. "To beat those Plasmas so badly that their own mothers won't recognize them."

The brown-skinned girl sighed and muttered under her breath, "He's a little kid, too."

"Says the girl that complains every time a drop of water hits her in the head," Volan pointed out, before turning down the next tunnel. Iris blushed at this and stayed quiet.

The trio walked deeper into the sewer network in relative silence. The only sound they made was their footfalls or the occasional comment. It was dark, but not pitch-black, thanks to the occasional lamp built into the walls, which brightened up the corridor every few meters.

Suddenly, a sound echoed down the narrow tunnel to their left. Volan immediately stopped dead and gestured for the others to do so as well. Iris and Ash, who had been having a whispered conversation, clammed up and obediently stopped in their tracks.

Volan's head was cocked to the side as he listened for the sound. After approximately two seconds, it came again, more faintly this time. The Gurei boy replayed the sound in his head, trying to figure out what it was.

The sound came a third time, this time more loudly. It sounded like a whimper of some kind. Volan frowned as it echoed down the tunnel a fourth, then a fifth time.

"What do you think that is?" Ash asked quietly.

Volan gave no reply, instead turning down the tunnel at a run. His sudden disappearance startled the other two, who paused momentarily to figure out what had just happened before running after him.

He ignored their faint yells as he sprinted down the dark corridor, trying to make his footsteps as quiet as possible at the same time. Turning another corridor, Volan was suddenly brought to a halt at what he saw before him.

Lying under the yellow light of a lamp was an injured reptilian Pokemon. It was brown in color, with black stripes and an identically colored mask over its eyes. Its snout was long and rounded, and was filled with sharp teeth. There was an ugly-looking bruise on its side, and there was a trickle of blood leaking from the corner of its mouth. Volan noticed with a start that there was a tooth missing from its front row of otherwise perfect white fangs.

All of a sudden, Volan realized that he had seen a Pokemon just like this before. This was a Sandile, a Desert Croc Pokemon, but one with a missing tooth.

Just like the one that he and Bernice had lost that battle against, four years ago.

Bernice seemed to reach the same conclusion as Volan, and unlike him, she didn't stay still and gape at the Sandile in shock. She exploded into a furious storm of feathers and enraged warbles, cooing at the top of her lungs as she blurted out a flurry of… Volan didn't know what she was saying, actually. But he could guess that it wasn't anything he could repeat to his mother.

Volan broke out of his shock just as Iris and Ash turned the corner. "What were you thinking?" Iris demanded. "There could have been anything down here, and you just had to go and act like a little – oh dear." She had noticed the battered Sandile lying helplessly on the cement floor.

"Oh man, it doesn't look like it's in good shape," Ash remarked worriedly.

"We have to help him," Volan stated, cutting off Iris' reply. Bernice suddenly stopped her barrage of angry squawks and stared at him as if he had just said something completely stupid.

Volan bent down and dropped onto his hands and knees, forcing Bernice to jump off his shoulder and flutter to the ground. Cautiously, the Gurei boy approached Sandile, trying not to startle him. The Ground-and-Dark-type opened its jaws and whimpered again, reassuring Volan that he was still alive.

"It's alright," Volan said soothingly. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to help you."

At the sound of his voice, Sandile opened his eyes and staggered to his feet. Upon seeing Volan, he blinked with incomprehension, then gradually widened his eyes as he indeed recognized the boy. He couldn't believe that he could remember this human, considering the amount of time it had been since they had met. And even then, Volan was entirely unremarkable! He was just another Trainer that had lost a battle against him.

So, why did he suddenly stand out from the other saps he had defeated over the years?

Sandile shook slightly on his feet, which brought him out of his thoughts. "Dile…" he growled, cringing. He still hurt all over from his earlier beating. The one who had inflicted his injuries had been thorough and merciless.

"Take it easy," Volan told him softly, holding out his arms as if offering to carry the Desert Croc. "You're badly hurt. Now don't exert yourself."

"Doooooove?! _Why do you care?!_" demanded Bernice, completely outraged.

"Dile dile… _Should have figured you wouldn't be happy to see me…_" muttered Sandile.

Volan observed the Ground-and-Dark-type as it took a few shaky steps forward. "If you're strong enough to walk, you should come with us," he offered. "It'll be safer. We think there are bad people loose in the sewers. You might get even more hurt if you stay here alone."

"We'll protect you and guide you out of here," Iris added.

"Come on, what do you say?" asked Ash.

Bernice looked shocked and appalled that they were even considering this.

Sandile seemed to steady himself as he gradually regained his strength. He appeared to consider their offer, before shrugging and replying, "San Sandile."

From Bernice's reaction, Volan guessed that Sandile had accepted.

"Come on then," he said, getting to his feet again. He turned to Iris and Ash and continued, "Iris and I will stay here and look for Team Plasma. Ash, you bring Sandile to the Pokemon Center and have those wounds treated."

Iris shook her head in disagreement. "We're coming too!" Iris insisted. "All of us should make sure that Sandile gets there safely!"

"And let Team Plasma escape, dooming two more Pokemon to a fate even worse than his?" Volan asked rhetorically. "No, I think Ash and Pikachu can handle Sandile just fine by themselves. We need to keep looking just in case the Plasmas are indeed hiding deeper in the sewers."

Iris sighed, but gave in.

"Don't worry about a thing," Ash said with a confident smile. "Pikachu and I will lead Sandile safely back to the Pokemon Center. Right, buddy?"

The Electric-type mimicked his smile. "Pika pika!" it agreed.

Volan nodded and gestured for Iris to follow him deeper into the sewers. "Take care, Sandile. Alright?" he asked, already taking a few steps onward.

"Dile!" he replied, before following Ash back into the darkness.

Volan was about to head on down the corridor when he suddenly caught a glimpse of movement from the corner of his eye. Instantly, he snapped his head in that direction, trying to see what had caused it. But whatever it was seemed to have vanished.

"Iris," he said, without looking away from the spot where the movement had been, "did you just see something move over there?" He nodded his head at said spot in order to indicate it.

The girl took one look at the seemingly empty wall and shook her head. "No, I didn't see anything. Why, what did you see?"

That question made Volan think back to the glimpse of movement he had seen. What had he seen? Looking back at those few seconds ago – and Volan almost dismissed the idea, it was so unbelievable – it seemed that it had been a _portion of the wall_ that had moved.

"Nothing," Volan finally sighed, turning away from the wall. "I must have been seeing things. Now let's go, because Team Plasma won't find themselves."

Volan and Iris then walked off together down the murky tunnel and deeper into the sewer system. Just as they vanished into the darkness, the part of the wall that Volan had seen move was suddenly replaced by a small Pokemon. It watched the retreating boy's every move with wide blue eyes.

"Tini…" it whispered, turning invisible once more and floating after him.

-.-.-.-.-.

Sandile plodded along behind Ash as the boy retraced his steps back toward the entrance of the Castelia Sewers. Pikachu was accompanying the Ground-and-Dark-type, just in case his strength wore out and he collapsed. But so far, he had nothing to worry about – aside from the bruise and the bleeding, Sandile was fine.

"So what happened?" the Electric-type suddenly asked, turning his head toward Sandile. "Where did you get all these injuries?"

"Just outta curiosity, why do you wanna know?" Sandile replied, raising an eyebrow.

Pikachu rubbed the back of his head and shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just curious, and a little bit concerned."

It was Sandile's turn to shrug. "I left my Trainer," he explained, as casually as if he were commenting on the weather. He spat on the ground, a mix of saliva and blood.

"You're kidding!" gasped Pikachu.

"No I'm not," the Desert Croc replied. "He was a complete jerk. Whenever me or one of my friends did somethin' wrong, like lose a battle for instance, he'd beat us."

Pikachu was really shocked by his answer. "How long have you been with your Trainer?" the Mouse Pokemon asked, gaping.

"'Bout five or six years, give or take," Sandile answered. "I finally got enough of 'im last week. He was teachin' me how ta use Thunder Fang. I didn't do so well at first, y'know? He'd yell at me an' lash out at me every time I messed up. I eventually got the hang of it, but I decided to have some fun with 'im. I kept pretendin' to fail until that bully of a boy finally snapped. He gave me the worst beatin' I've ever had, then abandoned me."

Sandile's eyes were twinkling merrily by the time he finished his story. "Only thing is, it was really the other way 'round. Kid's just too stupid to realize that." He chuckled for a few seconds, then winced when his bruised side flared up in pain.

Now Pikachu was not only shocked, but impressed. "I still have a few questions," he said after a moment.

"Fire away," was Sandile's reply.

"What was that back there with Bernice? She was hurling the worst insults I've ever heard at you!" Pikachu said, eyes widening.

"Oh, her," Sandile said indifferently, shrugging. "'Bout four years ago, I beat her in a battle. From what I saw, it was a pretty devastatin' loss for her Trainer, y'know? Guess she hasn't forgiven me for makin' her Trainer cry so badly. It wasn't my fault for beatin' her like that, but I still felt kinda guilty."

Pikachu tilted his head and considered that. After a minute or so of silently walking behind Ash, he spoke up again. "One more question, if you don't mind. What will you do now that you don't have a Trainer?"

Instead of shrugging like he usually did, Sandile remained quiet for a while. "I dunno," he finally answered. "If I had to pick a new Trainer, I'd go with that Volan kid. He seems like a nice guy. Only thing is, I doubt Bernice would like that."

He laughed bitterly and spat on the floor again. This time, there was less blood.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Pikachu admitted. "I know Ash would probably offer you a place with us, but we already have a Sandile on our team."

"That's fine," Sandile replied. "I can manage on my own in the wild. I hear the Desert Resort's nice."

They made no sound except for that of their footsteps from there on out.

-.-.-.-.-.

**I hope someone gets the Yu-Gi-Oh reference I made. And for those of you who are mentally groaning at the introduction of Ash and the gang – don't worry, they're just going to be making a few minor appearances.**

**Thrin and Bianca train while Volan gets his hands dirty in the sewers – and finds a new admirer for his troubles! But will Bernice ever be able to work with the same Pokemon that defeated her four years ago?**

**Bernice: "Doooooove! Pidooooove! ****_Absolutely not! Now please review!_****"**

**Chapter Question #14: Did you know that Ash was originally supposed to have Clefairy as his Starter? Which Kanto Pokemon would you have liked to see him start his journey with, besides Pikachu or Clefairy?**

**I'd love to see Ash with a Venonat. They're so cute and fluffy!**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Tympole, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Supersonic, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Screech, Poison Sting, Attract**


	25. Cornering Team Plasma

**_Chapter 24 – Cornering Team Plasma_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Bianca spilled out her tale to Volan and the gang, revealing that Team Plasma stole two of her Pokemon! After debating over what to do, Burgh split the group up – one half would search Narrow Street, while the others would scour the sewer system. Volan, Iris, and Ash ended up being the latter, and their search turned out to be rather uneventful. However, they soon came across an injured Sandile, the same Pokemon that defeated Bernice four years ago! The Desert Croc Pokemon went with Ash and Pikachu to the Pokemon Center to get his wounds healed, while Volan and Iris continued their search. However, no one realized that a mysterious Pokemon was still stalking Volan…**

-.-.-.-.-.

"Iris, watch out. You almost stepped in something," Volan cautioned.

The girl recoiled from the mound of processed garbage that she had been one step away from sinking into. "Eeeeww!" she exclaimed, wrinkling her nose at the pile that seemed to ooze up out of the river beside them. "Why is it that the first part of the sewer is garbage-free, but this place is covered in it?!"

Volan shrugged, making his way around the garbage piles as best as he could. In the ever-dimming light, it was getting much harder to see what lay ahead of them. Hence Iris' close encounter with the piled-up sewage.

This deep in Castelia City's complex sewer system, there was now only the occasional lamp embedded into the walls that provided scarce sources of light. As Volan and Iris made their way past it, they noticed another large pile of processed gunk that was heaped against the wall and spilled over a fair amount of the concrete path on which they walked. Volan idly glanced at it as he walked around the lamp-lit garbage heap, and almost immediately stopped.

Iris looked back and saw the Gurei boy staring intently at the garbage sitting under the yellow glow of the lamp. "There's a time and place for staring at trash, you know," the purple-haired girl said sarcastically.

Her Axew popped his head out of her hair and squeaked, "Axew yew."

Volan motioned her over without even glancing up. Sighing, Iris walked up to his side and regarded the pile of trash with a mix of disgust and disinterest. "What's so fascinating about this junk anyway? You're acting like such a little kid!"

He finally looked up and gave her a baleful stare that would make a Bisharp flinch. "Would you stop criticizing me and look more closely?" he asked harshly.

Iris indeed peered closer – wrinkling her nose as she did so – and finally saw what Volan had seen. In the garbage that spilled over the path were a bunch of indentations in it. When Iris scrutinized them further, she could see that they were footprints.

"We're on the right track," Volan stated, turning away from the garbage. "Let's go, Iris. Team Plasma can't be much farther now."

"How do you know it's Team Plasma?" the girl asked him. "It could be anybody!"

Volan looked back at her and raised his eyebrows. "Who do you know that goes into sewers for the fun of it?"

Iris searched for an answer before replying, "Maybe there's a cleanup crew that came down here."

"Does this place look clean to you?" the Gurei boy asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he swept an arm around at their filthy surroundings.

He walked onwards without another word, leaving Iris to grumble to herself as she followed a slight distance behind him.

It appeared as if whoever had installed the lights in this place hadn't bothered going any further, because there were no more lamps providing illumination from then on. It wasn't pitch-black, but there was only just enough light to make everything dim and fuzzy. Volan squinted, trying to see just a little bit farther, but he could barely make out anything more than a few meters away from him.

"It's getting really dark in here…" Iris murmured, and Volan turned around to look at her. It was so hard to see in the almost non-existent light, he could barely make out her features. Her face was extremely blurry, and he imagined that he must look the same to her.

"Hmm, I might have an idea," Volan mused, digging out one of his Poke Balls. "Go, Rickie!"

The flash of light momentarily blinded Volan and Iris, and then things became dark again. Rickie hopped up to Volan and smiled, although the expression was barely noticeable through the darkness.

"Rickie, I need you to help us navigate through this sewer," Volan told him. "Can you lead us to Team Plasma, who might be hiding down here?"

"Pole!" affirmed Rickie, turning around and hopping down the corridor. Volan motioned for Iris to follow him as he walked closely after the Tympole, who seemed to vanish the deeper he went ahead. Volan quickened his pace so that he wouldn't lose Rickie in the darkness of the sewer.

His eyes flicked to the side. Despite the blurriness of his already-restricted vision, he could have sworn that he wasn't seeing things when he saw something move.

The invisible Pokemon instinctively stopped breathing when it saw Volan's eyes rest upon it. When the boy turned his head, the Pokemon relaxed again. It wasn't ready to reveal itself just yet, but Volan seemed to know it was there despite its invisibility. Of course, nothing less could be expected of the hero with the white dragon in his eyes.

Rubbing its eyes to help it see better in the perpetual darkness, the Pokemon suddenly saw the backs of the two humans retreating further into the darkness. With a small cry of protest, it floated after them.

-.-.-.-.-.

"There you are! Sandile is fully healed and will be just fine!" Nurse Joy said cheerfully.

"Thanks," Ash replied. The Desert Croc Pokemon jumped down from the tray Audino had wheeled in and wagged his tail. The bruise was gone and his mouth had stopped leaking blood, but his tooth was still missing. Nothing could be done to re-grow his tooth, after all.

"Pika! _You're alright!_" cried Pikachu, scampering down from Ash's shoulder to join Sandile.

"San Sandile! _Naturally,_" Sandile replied, grinning confidently.

Suddenly, there was the hissing sound of the Pokemon Center's sliding doors opening. Ash, Pikachu, and Sandile turned around to see Burgh, Stephan, Tony, and Cilan rushing in. "I thought I saw him through the window!" exclaimed Cilan, immediately making his way toward Ash.

"What're you doing in the Pokemon Center?" Stephan questioned. "Didn't you go down to the sewers with Volan and Iris?"

"That was the plan, yeah," Ash admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "But we found this injured Sandile while looking for Team Plasma. So I volunteered to take him here to get healed."

Cilan frowned. "That must mean that Volan and Iris are still down there searching," he concluded. "We've searched nearly half of the city by now, and there is still no sign of Team Plasma."

"Not to worry," Burgh said with a smile. "I know Castelia City well. Chances are those thieves have gotten lost in the vast urban jungle. All we have to do is find them!"

"Easier said than done," grumbled Tony. Lucky descended from the air and perched on top of his head.

The group walked out of the Pokemon Center and into the city streets once more, with Sandile and Pikachu following. The sky was dark and stars were breaking out. However, the streetlamps ensured that everything in the city was bright enough to see clearly.

They talked amongst themselves, puzzling over the possible places where Team Plasma could possibly be hiding. But just then, a sudden clattering, clanking noise brought the troubled discussion to a halt. Burgh, at the head of the group, put a finger to his lips to indicate silence. He then took the last few steps toward the end of the street and peered around the corner.

The others followed the Gym Leader's lead, including the three Pokemon. They then saw some rather surprising events unfolding before them – the manhole cover in the middle of the sidewalk had been removed, and a woman wearing an amoebic uniform was pulling a similarly-dressed man up through it.

"Could that be Team Plasma?" Cilan wondered aloud.

"Yep, that's them alright," Stephan answered.

The girl grunt succeeded in pulling her comrade up aboveground. "Ugh, I'm glad to finally be out of that sewer," he muttered, spitting on the ground.

"Me as well," the female grunt agreed. "But it provided a safe escape route. Now we'll be able to head back to our base without opposition."

The male grunt got to his feet after a second, and the two of them walked off down the street.

"No opposition, huh?" repeated Burgh, smiling in a satisfied way. "We'll see about that! Onwards, my friends!" The Gym Leader then began to follow the Plasmas, after waiting for them to move farther ahead to a safe distance.

Stephan, Cilan, Ash, and Tony all followed him in turn, with their Pokemon close behind. The Plasmas were unwittingly leading them right to their secret lair, and when they got there, they were confident that they'd be able to beat any Plasma who got between them and Bianca's Pokemon.

-.-.-.-.-.

On another street, a street where nothing stirred and all was silent, a manhole cover suddenly shifted with a comparatively loud *clank*. The sound echoed slightly as the flat disc of metal slid back into its original position.

It shifted again just then, this time remaining propped up an inch by the edge of the concrete surrounding it. If anyone had been around to hear, they would have detected faint voices coming from underneath.

Suddenly, the manhole cover began to levitate several inches off of the ground. The voices grew quiet as their owners witnessed this happen from below. The metal then dropped back down onto the sidewalk with a huge, echoing clang, leaving the hole in the concrete uncovered.

A head and torso forced its way up and onto the sidewalk. Volan gasped deeply, inhaling the fresh, sweet air and allowing it to fill his lungs. Newly invigorated, he crawled away from the manhole and stood up, allowing his eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness of the nighttime city streets. It was also chillier out here than in the sewers, and he reflexively shuddered and drew his hoodie more tightly around him.

"Good, I can see again!" Volan said to himself as Bernice flew up out of the sewer and circled gleefully through the air. She then landed on his shoulder and fluffed her feathers to repel the cold.

Iris suddenly poked her head up out of the hole and seemed to struggle to get out. "A little help here, please?" she asked, holding out a hand.

Volan took the hand and pulled with all of his might. Axew popped out of Iris' hair and scurried to help him pull. With enough effort, the boy and the Dragon-type managed to haul the brown-skinned girl up onto the street.

"Whew, thanks, Axew. And Volan too," Iris said, taking a long breath of air as well. She was holding Rickie close to her in her other arm, that is until he hopped out of her grasp and over to Volan's side. The Tympole gazed around in wide-eyed wonder at the darkness-shrouded city that surrounded him.

Rickie rotated his body in order to get a good look at everything. But when he turned around to face the building directly behind Volan and Iris, he chirped loudly and hopped up and down excitedly. "Tympole tym!" he cried again and again.

"What is it, Rickie?" Volan asked. He turned around and looked up, trying to see what had gotten the Water-type so excited.

Directly above them hung a huge banner, sporting Team Plasma's symbol emblazoned on it for the world to see. "What is this place?" Iris asked, craning her neck to get a good look at the banner.

"I would imagine it's some kind of base of operations for Team Plasma," Volan replied thoughtfully.

"This must be where they ran off to!" Iris exclaimed, slamming her fist into her open palm as the realization hit her. "Let's go in and take back those Pokemon!"

The girl raced forward, but didn't get far. Volan reached out and snagged her wrist, stopping her from barging into the building. He only let go when she gave up on trying to move forward.

"What's the big idea?" she demanded. "Bianca's Pokemon are probably in there!"

"Yes, and any number of Plasmas," Volan said scathingly. "We're only two Trainers with just a few Pokemon between us. We should find the others first and come back when we have numbers on our side."

Iris seemed reluctant, but finally walked away from the building. "Alright then," she yawned, suddenly looking very tired. She collapsed on a bench standing on the sidewalk and yawned again, more deeply this time.

Volan knew that it would be pointless getting Iris to search for the others with him. "Bernice, could you try to find Burgh and the others and lead them here?" he asked the Pidove as she sat on his shoulder.

"Doooooove!" she replied, spreading her wings and taking off into the black sky. Volan knew she'd be able to find her way to wherever the others were and back to him. The lights from the streetlamps and the occasional window would help her see.

Volan sat down on the bench next to Iris. He looked over at her and saw that her eyes were closed. Gently, he grabbed her shoulder and shook her a bit, but didn't get a reply.

"Yew?" asked Axew, crawling up onto the bench between the two humans and looking up at Volan.

The boy smiled and stroked the Tusk Pokemon's horn, making Axew squeal with delight and snuggle up against him. In just a few moments, Axew was asleep as well.

As he listened to Axew's soft snores and Iris' constant breaths, Volan felt a little drowsy as well. Rickie hopped up onto the bench beside him, flinching a little at how cold the metal felt underneath him. Volan smiled absentmindedly as he withdrew Rickie's Poke Ball from his pocket and recalled him.

Volan put the capsule back in his pocket and listened to the silence of the nighttime city, which was broken only by the quiet sounds of the sleeping girl and Pokemon beside him. He instinctively relaxed, closed his eyes…

…and abruptly opened them again as he felt something poke him in the shoulder.

Wide awake immediately, Volan glanced to his right to see what had touched him. However, there was nothing there.

Dismissing the feeling as nothing but a figment of his imagination, Volan turned back around and folded his arms in front of him, relaxing once more. His eyes were closed for about two seconds when he felt a second, sharper poke on the back of his neck.

Instantly, Volan's eyes snapped open again as he whipped around in his seat, trying to find what it was that was touching him. But just like the first time he had looked, there was no-one to be found.

Even as he scanned the sidewalk behind him, Volan felt another touch on his left shoulder blade. He turned around again, hoping to get a glimpse of what it was that was doing this. But when he still saw nothing, he blinked bewilderedly. He was starting to get a little spooked.

Then, he jumped as he felt something touch him right in the chest. He could even see the indentation that formed on his shirt as if someone had pressed the tip of a pencil into him. But there was nothing there!

_Or is there?_ Volan wondered, tilting his head quizzically. He could start to make out a vague distortion in the air in front of him, as if that air was moving independently from the rest of the atmosphere. Almost immediately, he was reminded of the strange movement he had seen in the Castelia Sewers, where it had appeared that a part of the wall had moved.

Volan reached out with his hand, only to see the distortion move away from it. A faint, high-pitched giggle reached his ears. The distortion moved freely in the air in front of him, allowing him to see a vague silhouette of whatever it was that was teasing him. "What are you?" he murmured.

The mysterious creature stopped moving and tilted its head even as Volan did the same. It giggled again, and Volan could faintly see its hands move to cover what he assumed to be its mouth as it did so.

"I can see you, you know," Volan said with a smile, amused with the unknown being's behavior.

It stopped giggling and appeared to look at him intently. Volan didn't know how he knew that – it just seemed to him that the invisible creature was regarding him with some form of interest.

But just then, the creature appeared before his very eyes, color and texture blooming across the distorted silhouette as it dispelled its cloak of invisibility. It was a pale, tawny color for the most part, with huge, pointy red ears and a wide smile on its face. It floated in the air using a pair of small wings on its back. Volan noticed that its short fur was sleek and shiny, but what really grabbed his attention was its wide, sapphire-blue eyes.

Volan stared at the pixie-like Pokemon (if indeed it was a Pokemon) for some time, and it simply stared back at him. From the way it smiled, Volan could tell that it liked him. But he himself wasn't sure of what to think of it.

"Um… hello," he said tentatively.

"Tini!" it replied, doing a front flip in midair and allowing itself to drop into his lap. It grinned widely up at him, showing its small, pointy teeth.

Volan couldn't help but laugh at its playful attitude. He reached out with his hand to try and pet it, only to have it scuttle up his arms with its tiny hands and feet and sit on his shoulder. He laughed again, and the Pokemon giggled along with him.

Suddenly, Axew stirred. "…Yew?" he squeaked, blinking his eyes open and stretching his stubby arms out. The little Dragon-type sleepily looked at Volan and almost immediately saw the creature on his shoulder.

"Volan!" cried the voice from somewhere in the distance.

The mysterious Pokemon squeaked in fright and instantly vanished before Volan's eyes. He felt the pressure on his shoulder ease as it left.

"Pidoooooove!" trilled Bernice, melting out of the night sky and flying down to land on his outstretched arm.

Beside Volan, Iris blearily opened her eyes. "Mm, what time is it…?" she murmured, shaking herself out of sleep.

"Axew yew!" chirped Axew, tearing his gaze away from the spot where the unknown Pokemon had disappeared. He clambered up onto his mistress' lap and nudged her repeatedly, further encouraging her to wake up.

All of a sudden, Volan saw Burgh, Stephan, Ash, Cilan, and Tony running down the street towards him and Iris. He stood up, and Bernice hopped onto his shoulder when he lowered his arm.

"Hey, everyone," he greeted them. "Any sign of Team Plasma?"

"Yes indeed!" Cilan replied. "We saw two of their members emerging from the sewers even as we searched. We were following them to their lair when your Pidove came and insisted that we follow it."

"Dove Pidoooove!" agreed Bernice proudly. "_It was easy to find them!_"

"Freeeh…" muttered Tony's Butterfree. "_Show-off…_"

Iris stood up and pointed to the building with the Team Plasma banner behind them. "Well, we found their lair alright!" she said. "We followed the Plasmas' trail through the sewer and ended up right here!"

"Awesome!" Ash enthused. "Now we can get Bianca's Pokemon back!"

Volan looked at him curiously. "That reminds me, what happened to Sandile?"

Ash was about to answer when the Ground-and-Dark-type crawled up to Volan and wagged his tail. "Sandile san!" he said in his growl of a voice.

Bernice looked down at him sourly. Sandile pretended not to notice, instead focusing on Volan.

"It's good to see you're alright," the Gurei boy said, bending down to look more closely at Sandile. "_Are_ you feeling alright?"

"Dile!" the Desert Croc answered, nodding. "_Couldn't be feelin' better!_"

Cilan stepped forward and observed the two of them interacting. "If I may say so, that Sandile seems to have taken a shine to you, Volan. It's almost as if Sandile is an unexpected ingredient that accidentally finds its way into the recipe, only to create a pleasant and mysterious new flavor that causes a savory feeling of surprise and discovery upon the palate!"

"Yes, I was just about to say that," Volan told him, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Cilan's just trying to be helpful, you know!" Iris admonished. "Honestly, what a kid."

Volan's eyebrows crept together even as his face began to heat up. "Maybe you won't talk so much with your hair stuffed in your mouth," he growled, standing up and taking a threatening step towards Iris.

But suddenly, the doors to the Plasma's hideout burst open, and a squad of Plasma Grunts ran out to confront them. Everyone turned around in shock, being met by eight identical sets of amoebic uniforms.

"Plasmaaaaaa! It's those Trainers again!" cried one, specifically indicating Iris and Cilan.

"And they've brought back-up!" said another grunt.

"They've come to steal their Pokemon back! Defend the hideout at all costs!" shouted a third. "We must save the Pokemon from these cruel Trainers!"

The subsequent cry of "Plaaaasmaaaaa!" was picked up by the eight grunts, who spread out to form a semi-circle around the group.

"We're ending this," Volan snarled, reaching for Grunge's Poke Ball. But before he could even touch it, Sandile stepped up in front of him determinedly.

"San Sandile!" the Ground-and-Dark-type said, looking directly into Volan's eyes.

The Gurei boy's anger drained away as he gazed back at Sandile. In that instant, what little color there was in the dark city at that moment faded, and a white shadow flashed across Volan's eyes. Then, he knew the truth.

"You want to join me, don't you?" he asked.

Sandile nodded. "Dile!" he confirmed. "San san, Sandile!"

"Doooove?!" trilled Bernice, appalled at the notion that he was even considering letting her worst nemesis join the team.

But Volan ignored her. As far as he was concerned, Sandile had done nothing wrong – he had only been following the commands of his Trainer on that fateful day. Sandile wasn't to blame, and he knew that Bernice saw that, deep down.

Volan knelt down to Sandile's level. "If you're going to come along with me, you need a name," he told him. "How does Rudy sound?"

The new Rudy nodded his head and turned around to face the nearest Plasma. He growled deep in his throat, prepared to do the best he could do for this kind new Trainer.

All around, Trainers called out their Pokemon and prepared for battle. And in the abandoned city streets, the fight truly begun.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Ugh, this chapter was a complete pain to write. I just didn't know how to word it at first, you know? But I got it done, finally.**

**Want to know where Rudy gets his name? I named him after the Baryonyx in Ice Age 3! After all, Krookodile looks more like that particular dinosaur than a crocodile, in my opinion.**

**So, another showdown with Team Plasma is imminent, Volan and Rudy join forces – to Bernice's shock – and the mysterious Pokemon is finally sighted! It seems to have taken a liking to Volan, certainly…**

**Rudy: "Dile Sandile? ****_Are you gonna review?_****"**

**Chapter Question #15: Do you think that the Castelia Sewers were a good idea in BW2? What do you think could have been done to improve them?**

**I think being able to climb up through manholes all over the city would have been an amazing touch.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Tympole, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Supersonic, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Bite, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Screech, Poison Sting, Attract**


	26. Volan vs Burgh Part 1

**_Chapter 25 – Volan vs Burgh Part 1_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan and Iris continued searching the Castelia Sewers, and eventually found signs of Team Plasma deep within. Volan had to call upon Rickie in order to help them navigate any further. Meanwhile, Ash took Sandile to the Pokemon Center and met up with Burgh and the others, soon deciding to tail two Plasmas back to their lair. As this happened, Volan and Iris crawled up out of the sewers and took a rest. Iris dropped off to sleep even as the mysterious Pokemon that had been following Volan revealed itself to him. Eventually, the entire group reunited and fought against the Plasmas that ran out to defend what they thought was rightfully theirs.**

-.-.-.-.-.

If Volan had been paying attention to his surroundings, and not the battle, he would have been sure that there would be at least a few irate citizens glaring down from their windows and cursing the fifteen combatants for keeping them from sleep.

But sadly, Volan didn't notice that at the moment. His attention, and his growing anger, was riveted on the Plasma in front of him, smirking confidently from behind his Watchog. Around him, his friends were calling out their Pokemon in order to fight against the eight Plasmas. The grunts each did the same, with two of them ganging up on Burgh.

The Gym Leader could take care of himself, Volan was sure. He was equally sure that the others – Ash, Iris, Tony, Stephan, and Cilan – could do so as well. Like the Gurei, they only faced one opponent each.

Volan's newest Pokemon, the Sandile recently named Rudy (to Bernice's irritation) was currently readying himself for battle, preparing to fight for his new master's sake. Volan decided to take out his Pokedex in order to learn the Desert Croc's moves.

"**Sandile, the Desert Croc Pokemon,**" stated the encyclopedia – which Volan knew well already. "**They bury themselves in desert sands in order to keep warm. They swim through the sand, leaving their nose and membrane-shielded eyes sticking out. This specimen is a young male with the Moxie ability. His attacks are Thunder Fang, Dig, Bite, and Sand Tomb.**"

He put away the Pokedex and focused on the battle about to begin. Dig was an attack that he already knew would be useless – after all, he doubted Rudy would be able to dig through concrete. However, that still left him with three perfectly good attacks to use.

"Watchog, use Hyper Fang!" shouted the Plasma across from Volan, trying to use the boy's state of thought to his advantage. Watchog ran towards Rudy, with its front teeth lengthening and glowing yellow.

"Rudy, dodge and use Sand Tomb!" cried Volan.

"Dile!" replied Rudy, leaping aside and simultaneously taking a deep breath through his nose.

Sand huffed from the sides of his mouth as Rudy finished inhaling, and then he opened his mouth and exhaled a vortex of sand and dirt that whirled straight toward Watchog. The Lookout Pokemon was unable to avoid it and ended up getting slammed with the whirlwind.

"While Watchog is down, use Bite!" ordered Volan next.

"Waaaaaa!" squealed Watchog as Rudy pounced on it, clamping his powerful jaws around its tail.

Volan decided to wrap it up while he had the chance. "Finish with Thunder Fang!"

"Dile!" mumbled Rudy with his mouth full. He released his grip on Watchog's tail and tumbled to the ground, landing on his feet. The Ground-and-Dark-type's fangs began to buzz and crackle with electricity, and he lunged one more time without giving Watchog a chance to react.

Rudy's electrified jaws slammed shut on Watchog's head, sending hundreds of volts shooting through the Normal-type's body. The instant after Rudy let go, it collapsed in a smoking heap.

"P-Plasmaaaaaa! This is bad!" screamed the grunt, whom Volan had just beaten in a little over a minute.

Around him, the others were dispatching the rest of the grunts in similarly easy manners. "Badbadbadbadbad!" cried one of the girl grunts.

"Bad for Team Plasma! Or Plasbad for short!" agreed another.

"We must report this to Bronius right now!" said yet another, backing away from Iris. He then booked it into the building, followed by his seven comrades.

Stephan, Cilan, and Burgh recalled their Pokemon into their Poke Balls while Ash, Tony, Iris, and Volan left theirs out.

"Do we follow them?" Stephan asked, although it sounded like he had already made up his mind.

Suddenly, the doors to the Plasma hideout creaked open. "Something tells me that won't be necessary…" Volan muttered.

Everyone instinctively assumed battle-ready stances as three people walked out – a single female grunt, an older man with white hair and a grey cloak, and the man Volan instantly recognized as Ghetsis.

The latter's good eye flicked around the group until it rested on Volan. "My word, as I live and breathe," Ghetsis said calmly, giving him a warm smile. "We meet again, Mister Gurei. I assume you are doing well?"

Ghetsis' politeness took Volan momentarily aback. He was used to thinking of the man as the leader of Team Plasma, and the guy had such an ominous vibe radiating from him that Volan never expected him to be such a gentleman. But every time, Ghetsis managed to prove him wrong. Everything about Ghetsis seemed to contradict itself. He was a paradox.

"Cut the baloney," Burgh interjected, stepping forward. "What's the guiding principle of Team Plasma? 'Take what you want from people'? Your little minions robbed an innocent girl of her Pokemon!"

The other man turned his head slightly toward Ghetsis. "I thought it would be amusing to prepare a hideout right in front of the Castelia City Gym, but we were detected more quickly than I imagined, it seems," he stated.

"No matter, Bronius of the Seven Sages," Ghetsis replied. "We already have a suitable base of operations. Tell me," he added, directing his next statement at the group, "are you all familiar with the legend of the founding of Unova?"

"I am!" Iris chirped instantly. "It's the black dragon, right?"

Volan turned his head toward the purple-haired girl. In Nacrene City, N had briefly mentioned a black dragon - Zekrom. _Could they be talking about the same creature?_ he wondered.

Ghetsis nodded and gave her a smile. "It is indeed. The black dragon appeared before a hero who sought the ideal way to knit together a world full of warring people. The black dragon shared its knowledge with those who joined, and bared its fangs against those who stood against it. Together, the power of the dragon and the hero brought unity to the hearts of everyone in Unova, thus creating the region we know today.

"If we, Team Plasma, can bring back the black dragon and the hero, we can create the new world that I – *cough* – Team Plasma desires!" he finished dramatically.

Burgh stepped forward again as the others looked on. "There's something about what you're saying that I don't quite understand," he said quietly.

"Hmm, and what might that be?" asked Bronius, cocking his head quizzically.

Burgh folded his arms and stared at the three Plasmas seriously. "Everyone is different, but the one thing that everyone has in common is that we all care about Pokemon," he said. "Even people who haven't yet met a Pokemon can talk about them."

The Gym Leader looked the now-intently-listening Plasmas directly in the eye. He continued, "Your recent speech here in Castelia City made me rethink my relationship with Pokemon. For that, I can thank you. Because all you did was made me swear that I'd dedicate myself to Pokemon even more strongly! What you guys are accomplishing is the opposite of what Team Plasma wants! These speeches are only strengthening the bonds between Pokemon and people!"

Ghetsis simply smiled and bowed to Burgh. "You are quite hard to figure out," the green-haired man commented. "A little more intelligent than I expected from you, indeed. I am fond of intelligent people, you see. Very well, then! We will submit to you and be on our way."

At a nod from Bronius, the female grunt stepped forward and handed Burgh two Poke Balls. Volan caught a glimpse of their transparent bottoms and saw that there was a Munna and Lillipup contained in them. _Bianca's Pokemon,_ he thought, feeling relieved.

Ghetsis was speaking again. "In order to liberate Pokemon from foolish humans, we will revive the legend of Unova, resurrect the black dragon, and win the hearts and minds of everyone. On that note, I bid you all farewell, and good night."

The three Plasmas went back inside, closing the door with a final *click* of the lock.

_Is that what Team Plasma really wants? Is that the truth?_ Volan asked himself, and for an instant, the white shadow flickered across his eyes once again.

-.-.-.-.-.

It was mid-morning, many hours after Volan and Stephan had said farewell to Ash, Iris, and Cilan. Burgh had informed the two of them via cross-transceiver that Thrin and Bianca would be invited to spend the night at the Gym. Volan hadn't had a problem with that, and slept at the Pokemon Center along with Tony and Stephan.

But now, as Burgh led the three boys into the Gym, they were immediately set upon by a certain blonde. Bianca was the first thing Volan saw when the door opened, pushing Burgh aside to fling her arms tightly around Volan's neck.

No, it wasn't an attempt at murder. She was just that excited to see him.

"Omigoshomigoshomigosh!" she squealed. "Thank you so much, Volan! Now I have my darling Lillipup and Munna back!" She snuggled up to him and squealed in a voice that would have been inaudible had it been any higher-pitched.

Volan, meanwhile, was feeling very awkward with Bianca hugging him so intimately. He was also feeling faint as her arms constricted his windpipe. "If you could let go now… that would be great…" he rasped.

Tony and Stephan fought to contain their laughter. Thrin appeared from the other side of the door and gently tugged at Bianca's arm, trying to stifle her giggles. Finally, with Burgh's help, she got the ecstatic blonde girl off of her brother.

"Glad to see you're doing alright, Bianca," Volan muttered, rubbing his throat. "So, Burgh, are we going to battle?"

The Gym Leader grinned. "That's right!" he crowed. "You and I will engage in a artistic clash the likes of which has never been seen before! My Bug Pokemon are positively scurrying with excitement to meet you!"

Volan and Stephan exchanged exasperated glances. Tony, however, looked almost as excited as Bianca at the prospect of seeing Burgh's Bug-types in action.

The battle quickly got under way a few minutes later. During that time, Stephan requested permission to battle when Volan was finished, which Burgh granted. The two Trainers – Volan and Burgh – now stood on opposite ends of the battlefield, while Stephan, Thrin, Tony, and Bianca all looked on.

As it turned out, the referee's name was Clyde – _I was close enough,_ Volan thought dismissively – which they rediscovered upon him introducing himself again. Either he was being courteous or he had a really bad memory.

"The battle between the challenger, Volantes, and the Gym Leader, Burgh, will now get underway!" Clyde now announced. "It will be a three-on-three battle with no substitutions from either Trainer. The battle will be over when all three of the opposing side's Pokemon are knocked out. Now, select your Pokemon and let the battle begin!"

"Dwebble, sculpt a great battle!" cried Burgh dramatically, tossing out his Poke Ball with a flair. The creature that appeared was a small, orange crab-like Pokemon, complete with the sharp claws and eyes on stalks. Instead of a seashell on its back, it carried a boulder. "Dweb!" it rasped.

Volan's Pokedex was out in a blink. "**Dwebble, the Rock Inn Pokemon. It makes a hole in a suitable rock to serve as its home, using a powerful acid to sculpt it to its liking. If the rock ever breaks, it must find a suitable replacement. As Dwebble grows, it must constantly search out new rocks. This is a young male with the Shell Armor ability and the attacks Smack Down, Faint Attack, Sand-Attack, and Bug Bite.**"

The Gurei boy took out a Poke Ball and hurled it onto the battlefield. "Let's do this, Rudy!" he called. The Sandile appeared in a flash of light, holding a determined, fiery glare in his eyes. He stomped his front feet on the ground and gnashed his teeth, ready to start battling. Bernice just scoffed and turned away.

"Start with Bug Bite!" ordered Burgh to Dwebble.

"Dwebble dweb!" the Bug-and-Rock-type replied, scuttling toward Rudy at a reasonable pace, claws held in the air threateningly.

"Use Dig!" retorted Volan.

"Dile!" growled Rudy, swiftly clawing at the ground with his claws. In less than two seconds, he had vanished entirely beneath the ground. Dwebble stopped and looked around, confused as to where he had gone.

"Now, finish Dig and use Bite!" Volan commanded.

The earth shifted at Dwebble's feet, but Rudy didn't give the little crab any time to react. He burst up through the ground and slammed him from below, prompting a cry of pain from the Rock Inn Pokemon. Rudy then seized two of Dwebble's legs in his jaws and began to swing him around this way and that.

"Get free and use Smack Down!" Burgh cried.

Dwebble managed to get his legs out of Rudy's grasp, tumbling to the ground as he did so. He righted himself, aimed his backside at the Sandile's head, and launched himself backwards with a thrust of his powerful legs. Rudy was slammed dead-on by the weight of Dwebble's rock.

"Can you get up, Rudy?" asked Volan worriedly, and the Ground-and-Dark-type sprang to his feet with a determined nod.

Despite herself, Bernice turned her head a fraction towards the battle. She didn't want to admit it, but she was pretty interested in how this would turn out.

"Hide yourself with Sand-Attack, Dwebble!" Burgh commanded, obviously planning something.

"Dweb!" rasped Dwebble, jumping into the air and landing upside down, on his shell. He hit the ground at a fast spin, stirring up a huge cloud of sand and dirt around him. Soon, he was completely hidden by the sand cloud, which slowly billowed out toward Rudy.

Volan saw the cloud spreading out around his Pokemon, then suddenly knew that Burgh was planning on having the sand obscure the battlefield, so that Rudy wouldn't be able to avoid Dwebble's attacks.

He decided to do something to stop his plan before it started. "Rudy, suck up that dirt and use Sand Tomb!"

If Rudy was confused at the order, he didn't express it and obeyed anyway. He ran the short distance between him and the cloud and inhaled loudly and forcefully. Slowly at first, then more quickly, the cloud of sand was sucked into Sandile's jaws and held (barely) in his now-bulging cheeks.

Dwebble was revealed to be standing in front of Rudy, shocked at how the Desert Croc had managed to nullify his disguise. But suddenly, Dwebble unfroze as the Sandile suddenly blasted all the sand he had inhaled out of his mouth in a ferocious Sand Tomb attack. Despite Dwebble's efforts, he couldn't possibly dodge in time.

The whirlwind of dirt smashed into Dwebble and sent him flying to the ground at Burgh's feet. To the Gym Leader's shock, the Bug-and-Rock-type's rock went flying off in the opposite direction, landing on a random spot on the battlefield.

"DWEEEEEEB!" shrieked Dwebble, panicking as he no longer felt his home attached to his body. He instantly made a beeline for the rock, clattering across the battlefield at a surprising speed.

"Get him with Thunder Fang, Rudy!" Volan said, unwilling to let Dwebble reach his only means of defense.

"Sandile!" growled Rudy, his teeth crackling with voltage as he charged forward to intercept Dwebble.

He reached Dwebble just as the Rock Inn Pokemon made it to his shell. Rudy jumped, closing the last of the distance between him and his target and clamping his jaws around Dwebble's exposed tail. His Thunder Fang attack zapped Dwebble so badly, it caused an aura of yellow light and a sick buzzing sound.

After three seconds of being exposed to the electricity, Dwebble slumped to the ground, and Rudy ended the attack. The hermit crab-like Pokemon's exoskeleton was scorched and smoking, and his legs twitched occasionally.

"Dwebble is unable to battle!" announced Clyde. "And that means that Volan is the winner of this round."

Volan broke into a huge smile. "That was awesome, Rudy," he congratulated the Sandile. Rudy crawled over to Volan's side and grinned his crocodile grin right back at him.

"Dove Pidoooove," Bernice said flatly. "_That wasn't bad._"

"San Sandile," Rudy replied. "_Glad you think so._"

"You're still in the battle though, so keep doing your best," Volan told him. "And don't worry if you lose, because you do seem a little beat-up."

"Dile!" replied Rudy affirmatively, crawling back onto the battlefield and waiting to tackle whatever Burgh threw at him.

"I must say, your Sandile is a wonderfully trained Pokemon!" Burgh praised. "He's certainly strong if he beat my Dwebble so easily!"

Volan shrugged and replied, "Thanks, I guess."

"And now, on to Round 2!" the Gym Leader called dramatically, tossing another Poke Ball. "Give it a whirl, my wonderful Whirlipede!"

The Pokemon that appeared was certainly one of the odder-looking ones that Volan had seen. It was wheel-shaped, kind of like a car tire, and had two sets of feelers sprouting from random points on its body. Its purple outer shell was shiny and looked incredibly tough, and had spines jutting out from it. In the center of its body, on each side, was a glaring yellow eye.

As was the norm with new Pokemon, Volan decided to scan it. "**Whirlipede, the Curlipede Pokemon,**" his Pokedex told him. "**Usually motionless, this Pokemon will rotate its body at high speed when threatened, creating enough traction to smash into its opponent at extremely high speed. Its outer shell is very durable. Early Unovans created the wheel after observing how Whirlipede moved. This specimen is an almost-fully-grown-male with the Poison Point ability. His attacks are Steamroller, Iron Defense, Pursuit, and Poison Sting.**"

Volan eyed the tough-looking Bug-type. He was smart enough to know that Rudy would never be able to get past that shell. He'd have to aim for the center, but he also knew that Burgh was probably expecting that. _I'll have to wait for just the right moment, _Volan decided.

On the sidelines, Thrin was startled when one of the Poke Balls in her pocket suddenly opened, releasing Valkyrie. The Venipede gazed with admiring eyes out at the battlefield, regarding her evolved form with utmost wonder.

"Whirlipede, use Poison Sting!" Burgh ordered.

"Whirl!" hissed Whirlipede, intentionally falling onto his side. He started to spin in that position, going faster and faster whilst firing glowing purple needles from the spikes on his body. The needles travelled in all directions, and at ridiculous speed!

"Dig, Rudy!" Volan shouted, and Rudy rapidly began to burrow underground. However, one of the multiple needles whistled through the air and buried itself in the end of Rudy's tail, just before he vanished underground. Volan could only hope that the Sandile wouldn't succumb to Whirlipede's poison.

But right now, he knew that Whirlipede was vulnerable as he slowly stopped spinning, rotating ever slower as the seconds passed. In a second, the Curlipede Pokemon would right itself again. He needed to exploit this moment of weakness.

"Rudy, finish Dig and hit from underneath!" he cried, raising his voice so Rudy would hear him from underground.

Burgh's eyes widened – it appeared he hadn't thought of this. "Whirlipede, no!" he yelled. "Get out of" –

BAM! Rudy launched himself out of the ground and straight into Whirlipede's midsection, where he was vulnerable. Both Pokemon sailed into the air and rapidly began to fall back down to earth.

"Poison Sting again, Whirlipede!" shouted Burgh.

"Whirli!" hissed the Bug-and-Poison-type, rotating in midair while firing several needles. The darts all hit their mark on Rudy's flanks, and he cried out in pain. He hit the ground hard, struggling to get up as he tried to fight the pain.

"Now finish with Steamroller!" Burgh ordered triumphantly.

Whirlipede landed while still rotating, then took off. His wheel-shaped body glowed bright green as he roared toward the fallen Sandile.

Rudy never stood a chance. The Steamroller attack smashed into him like a bulldozer, flinging him the length of the battlefield and right at Volan's feet. "Dile…" he moaned, his eyes rolling back in their sockets.

"Sandile is unable to battle!" Clyde called. "Burgh and his Whirlipede win this round."

Volan knelt down to look at Rudy and took out his Poke Ball. "That was great," he said with a smile. "You rest for now."

Bernice warbled concernedly. Even she had felt a flash of panic when Whirlipede had first raced toward Rudy like that. "Pidoooove? _Now what'll we do?_"

Her master gritted his teeth with determination as he reached for a second Poke Ball.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Disclaimer: Bronius is not a brony – however, I am. I'm proud to admit it. Well, not ****_proud_**** per se… but I'm not ashamed.**

**It looks like Badge No. 3 will be a bit tricky to acquire. Will the fourth badge be as much of a challenge? Will any of Volan's Pokemon eventually evolve? And will Ghetsis ever get a life? Prepare to find out the answers (except to the last question)!**

**Bronius: "I thank you for clearing up that previous matter, Mr. Cottonmouth25. Now, readers, if you may review in the name of Pokemon Liberation."**

**Chapter Question #16: What is your favorite Pokemon amongst the Bug-types?**

**Mine is Yanmega! Who is followed closely by Scolipede, by the way.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Tympole, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Supersonic, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Bite, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Screech, Poison Sting, Attract**


	27. Volan vs Burgh Part 2

**_Chapter 26 – Volan vs Burgh Part 2_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan, Burgh, Tony, Stephan, Iris, Ash, and Cilan were attacked by members of Team Plasma. Thanks to the efforts of Rudy the Sandile and various other Pokemon, the Plasmas were easily beaten. Ghetsis and Bronius came out of their "secret" headquarters in order to talk with Burgh, who told them that all they were accomplishing was strengthening bonds between humans and Pokemon, the opposite of what they wanted. The next day, Volan and Burgh began their Gym Battle while Tony, Thrin, Stephan, and Bianca watched – Rudy easily defeated Burgh's Dwebble, and put up a fight against Whirlipede before losing.**

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan clutched in his hand a single Poke Ball as he glared across the battlefield at his opponent. Burgh was calm as he regarded the challenger with interest, waiting to see what Pokemon he'd choose. The Trainers on the sidelines were tense as they watched events unfold. Valkyrie was staring at Burgh's Whirlipede admiringly, who rolled in circles around the field restlessly.

He didn't want to use Grunge if he didn't have to. The Garbodor was much stronger than probably any Pokemon Burgh possessed, not that Volan was honking his own horn. The Gurei boy nodded to himself as he arrived at a decision. _First this Pokemon, and I'll use Grunge if I can't knock out Whirlipede,_ he thought decisively.

"Alright, you're up!" he cried, throwing the Poke Ball into the air. Blue light spilled from it as the Pokemon was released. Over to the side, Bianca's hands were covering her mouth, and she was shaking as she practically burst with anticipation.

"Tyyyyym!" chirped Rickie, bouncing on the spot when the light had coalesced. The Tympole regarded the room they were in with utter fascination, staring around at all the clear windows and plants. He then looked over at Whirlipede, who was no longer rolling in circles, but glaring harshly at his next opponent.

Rickie thought the Bug-and-Poison-type was weird-looking, but he could see that Whirlipede was several times bigger than him. He'd have to keep his guard up.

The referee, Clyde, slashed his hand down through the air as he signaled the start of the next battle. He added "Battle, begin!" for good measure, and then they were off.

"Let's end this early, Whirlipede! Use Steamroller!" commanded Burgh.

"Whirl!" the Curlipede Pokemon hissed. He rocked back and forth before throwing himself forward, glowing green as he rapidly gained speed.

"Supersonic, Rickie!" cried Volan.

"POOOOOOLE!" screeched Rickie, releasing a sonic ring from his mouth. The irritating ringing sound washed over Whirlipede, immediately sending him into a disoriented frenzy. His body spun around on its edge, creating a sound like a tire screeching on pavement and slowing him down. Finally, he tottered to a halt and fell down on his side, eyes rolling dizzyingly.

"Now, Rickie! Jump up above him and use Bubblebeam!" Volan shouted, not willing to miss this opportunity for anything.

Rickie sprung high into the air with a flick of his powerful tail, then aimed himself downwards and fired a high-speed volley of water-filled bubbles directly at Whirlipede's center. The air was filled with smoke, mist, and dirt as the Bubblebeam attack repeatedly slammed into the Bug-and-Poison-type.

When the battlefield finally cleared and Rickie landed lightly on the ground, Whirlipede righted himself and shook off the attack, but still wincing slightly from the pain. "Whirl!" he challenged, rocking back and forth slightly in the same way a human would crook a finger tauntingly.

"Poison Sting, Whirlipede!" ordered Burgh, looking like he was enjoying himself.

Whirlipede lay down flat on his side again and spun around quickly, firing his toxic needles in all directions. Volan's eyes widened slightly, then narrowed again – he had a strategy that even he wasn't sure would work. But he had to try.

Rickie, meanwhile, was jumping over the flying needles as best as he could. If Volan didn't do anything, the Tympole would inevitably get hit.

_Here goes nothing,_ Volan thought as he clenched his jaw tensely. "Rickie, use Supersonic to sweep the battlefield!"

Rickie inhaled loudly and deeply, then sang out a rippling wave of sound that swept across the room. Everyone clamped their hands over their ears as the super-high-pitched sonic tone ripped through their heads. The wave instantly shattered any Poison Sting that touched it, effectively stopping Whirlipede's attack. Unfortunately, it didn't seem that the wheel-shaped Pokemon was affected by the noise this time.

"Very good!" said Burgh, applauding. "But we're not done yet! Steamroller, Whirlipede!"

"Whirli!" hissed the Curlipede Pokemon. With a car tire-like screeching sound, he revved himself up and then shot off like a purple bullet. Rickie paled slightly as Whirlipede roared closer to him.

Volan saw this and yelled, "Roll to the side and use Mud Shot!"

"Pole!" replied Rickie, hurling himself forward without bothering to gain momentum. He rolled across the ground and out of Whirlipede's way, then turned around and fired a series of Mud Shots at the still-rolling insect.

All but one of the mud projectiles missed, and that one hit Whirlipede dead center, throwing him violently to the ground. Now, as Whirlipede got up again, it seemed as if he was running out of steam.

"Bubblebeam!" shouted Volan, determined to end this with Rickie.

"Iron Defense into Steamroller!" retorted Burgh.

Whirlipede's shell gleamed with a metallic silver sheen as he raced forward once more, adding Steamroller's green glow to his silvery Iron Defense. Rickie powerfully shot a watery beam of bubbles straight at him, but the Bug-and-Poison-type plowed right through them and smashed into Rickie.

The Tympole hit the ground beside Volan, bouncing comically before rolling to a halt against his master's foot. "Are you alright, Rickie?" Volan asked, his voice tight with worry.

"Pole…" muttered Rickie. He cringed with pain as he rolled right-side up again, bouncing back onto the field as Whirlipede ground to a halt again. The Curlipede Pokemon looked tired, but Volan knew that he was still plenty powerful enough to finish Rickie.

"Steamroller, once more!" Burgh cried dramatically.

"WHIRL!" shouted Whirlipede through his fatigue, speeding across the battlefield for one last go at the Tympole.

"Stop him in his tracks with Sing!" Volan said, commanding that move out of sheer desperation.

"Po-oooo-oooo-oooo-ooooolllle~~…" Rickie sang sweetly, closing his eyes and letting the notes flow out from his mouth.

The soothing sound washed over Whirlipede, who inexplicably began rolling slower and slower as he started to fall asleep. He was right on top of Rickie when he nodded off, bumping into the Water-type harmlessly and then falling over on his side.

"No, my Whirlipede! Get up!" called Burgh, tugging at his hair in frustration. Volan smirked and decided to finish it up with one last attack.

"Hit him in the center with Mud Shot, Rickie!" he ordered confidently.

"Tyyyym-POLE!" cried Rickie, jumping into the air and firing a single blast of mud down at Whirlipede. The clump of dirt streaked downwards and exploded violently against the Bug-and-Poison-type, knocking him across the battlefield and into the far wall.

"Whirlipede is unable to battle!" Clyde broadcasted. "And that means the challenger is once again victorious!" Even the referee himself looked excited.

Burgh recalled Whirlipede into his Poke Ball, and Rickie hopped over to Volan and into his arms happily.

"That was amazing," Volan congratulated him. "You're getting so much stronger. Now keep battling, alright?"

"Pole pole!" chirped the Tympole, bouncing back onto the field and ready to battle once more.

"My final Pokemon!" cried Burgh with his usual dramatic flair. "Go, my Leavanny!"

The Poke Ball gave out a bright flash of light when it opened, which coalesced into a bright green mantis-like Pokemon with a big, cheerful smile. "Lea-vaaaaanny~!" it sang, waving a wickedly sharp forearm at Rickie.

Volan quickly assessed his Pokedex in order to review Leavanny's moves. According to the encyclopedia, Burgh's Bug-and-Grass-type knew String Shot, Razor Leaf, Slash, and Struggle Bug. _Nothing too bad, I suppose,_ Volan thought. _But she is a fully-evolved Pokemon, so I'd best be on my guard._

Not only that, but he knew that Rickie had a type disadvantage against the Nurturing Pokemon. Volan decided to be extra wary when fighting Leavanny.

Clyde signaled for the battle to begin, and they were off to the races. "Rickie, start with Supersonic!" commanded Volan.

"Counter with String Shot, Leavanny!" retorted Burgh.

Just as the Tympole opened his mouth to release his sonic tone, Leavanny shot three ropes of silky string from her own mouth, which wrapped around and adhered to Rickie. Now he was completely covered in silk, preventing him from using Supersonic.

Or any of his moves, now that Volan thought about it.

Burgh told Leavanny to swing Rickie around in a circle, and Volan could only watch in horror and dismay as the Bug-and-Grass-type began to spin in a circle, picking the entangled Tympole up and swinging him like a bolas. Around and around he went, crying out repeatedly in a panic as he found himself helpless to stop the dizzying movement.

Finally, Leavanny caught the string in her forearms and threw Rickie down as hard as she could. The poor Water-type crashed violently into the ground, throwing up a surprisingly big cloud of dust in the impact. The string snapped with the sheer force of the strain put on it. There was no way Rickie could have gotten through that fully conscious.

But suddenly, even as the dust began to settle, a faint blue light slowly started to shine through the dirt. Volan's eyes widened as the air cleared of dust, revealing the string-bound Rickie sitting in the middle of a small crater. Rays of bright blue light emitted from the Tympole's body, shining wherever the silk didn't cover him, and additional rings of energy began to form and spin slowly around him.

The room grew darker as Rickie drew his energy from his surroundings. Everyone's shocked eyes were locked on the shining figure. His body began to stretch and grow upwards, shattering the string in the process. Slowly, Rickie grew and morphed, stopping at about three times his original size. Finally, the bands of light and the blue glow faded, and the room brightened again. Standing in Rickie's place was an entirely different Pokemon altogether.

"Paaaaaalpitooooad!" gurgled Rickie, his voice much deeper than it was originally. The new Palpitoad stomped the feet he had sprouted experimentally, looking very pleased with his new limbs.

Volan couldn't keep a grin from spreading across his face as he scanned Rickie's new form with his Pokedex. It informed him, "**Palpitoad, the Vibration Pokemon and the evolved form of Tympole. It lives an amphibious lifestyle and captures insects with its long, sticky tongue. When they vibrate the large bumps on their heads, they can make tidal waves underwater and earthquakes on land. Upon evolving, this young male has lost the Supersonic attack and learned how to use Uproar.**"

"That is so cool!" Stephan crowed from the sidelines. "Give it to him, Volan!"

The boy smiled again. "Time to make our comeback, Rickie. Let's give Leavanny a Bubblebeam attack!" he cried.

"Toooooooad!" replied Rickie, rearing his head back – yes, he had a definite head now. Opening his now much-wider mouth, he blasted Leavanny with a stream of bubbles, throwing her backwards and soaking her.

"Retaliate with Razor Leaf!" Burgh commanded.

"Vaaaaany!" sang the mantis-like Pokemon, swinging her glowing arms and launching razor-edged leaves from them.

Almost too late, Volan remembered that Rickie was now a Water-and-Ground-type, meaning that Grass-type attacks were pretty much a death sentence to him. "Remember what we did against Whirlipede!" he called. "Try to block it with Uproar!"

"TOOOOOOOOOAD!" roared Rickie, causing sound wave after sound wave to blast out from his mouth and across the battlefield. The continuous waves not only knocked away any leaves Leavanny tried to throw at him, but they also slammed into her one after another.

"Now, use Mud Shot!" Volan called confidently, on a roll.

"Paaaalpi!" said Rickie, extending his long tongue. He spun around in a similar fashion to what Leavanny did earlier and launched five globs of mud at the Bug-and-Grass-type.

"Dodge and use Slash!" Burgh ordered.

Leavanny ducked under each projectile and ran forward, her scythe-like arms glowing white. The attack came too quickly for Rickie to avoid it – Leavanny sliced at him, sending him tumbling across the battlefield in a heap. Blood dribbled from his wounds as he got up, and occasionally a drop would hit the ground beneath him.

Volan didn't like what he saw. Rickie could barely keep going. "Do you want to keep going?" he asked his Pokemon. "Or do you want to quit and leave the rest of the fight up to someone else?"

Rickie shook his head emphatically. "Paaalpi, Paaalpitooooad!" he gurgled, determined to win. He forced himself to ignore the pain of his injuries as he faced Leavanny once more.

"Alright," Volan sighed. "Use Sing!"

But before the Water-and-Ground-type could sing Leavanny off to sleep, Burgh ordered her to use String Shot. Once again, Rickie found himself unable to open his mouth as the Nurturing Pokemon bound him with her sticky threads.

"Now, finish with Razor Leaf!" Burgh commanded, enjoying himself.

"Leavaaaanny~!" she sang, flicking her blades forward. Two sword-like leaves were thrown out, and both struck the helpless Rickie dead-on. The string binding him was cut, and he was sent into the dirt.

This time, however, he didn't get up.

"This round goes to Burgh and Leavanny!" announced Clyde, making it official.

Volan smiled down at the unconscious Palpitoad, taking out his Poke Ball. "That was amazing," he said softly. "You've really made me proud. Take a rest and I'll finish what you started."

The boy recalled Rickie and swapped Poke Balls. Bernice had been about to unfold her wings and take off, but Volan shook his head. "You mind if I use Grunge instead?" he asked her.

Bernice sighed. "Pidove dooooooove. _Alright, go ahead._" She folded her wings again, looking disappointed.

"Grunge, let's finish this!" Volan said, hurling the Poke Ball.

The Garbodor appeared, as usual, with an echoing bellow. On the sidelines, Tony gasped, and Stephan and Thrin grinned approvingly. Bianca's eyes widened delightedly. Across the battlefield, Burgh and Leavanny shared the same expression of shock.

However, the Gym Leader appeared to get over it. "That's certainly a surprising choice in Pokemon," he commented. "But it's my job to beat challengers, no matter what Pokemon they have! So let's dance once more!"

"Couldn't agree with you more," Volan said with a small smile. "Grunge, start off with Body Slam!"

"GARBODOR!" he bellowed, leaping into the air with astounding strength and barreling down upon Leavanny like a meteor.

"Dodge and use your Slash attack!" Burgh said, looking slightly nervous. Leavanny did as he said, leaping away from Grunge's trajectory and then running towards him with her bladed arms extended once he landed.

"Quickly, Poison Gas!" retorted Volan.

"Gar garbo!" growled Grunge, spraying poison mist in front of him from his right arm. Leavanny couldn't dodge in time as she ran right into the billowing cloud. When it faded, her face was pale, and it seemed to take her more effort to hold herself up due to the poison.

"No, my Leavanny!" cried Burgh with the usual drama. "Fight it off and use Struggle Bug!"

"Vanny!" replied the mantis-like Pokemon, suddenly appearing to gain strength. She ran again toward Grunge, this time with her body encased in a red aura that seemed to grow with every second that passed.

"Grunge, dodge it and begin charging Solarbeam!" Volan called out.

"Bodor!" affirmed the Poison-type, jumping clear over the charging Leavanny. She looked up at him in shock, with the red aura around her fading, even as he came in for a landing behind her. His ear tufts then began to absorb the sunlight that streamed in from the ceiling.

"Leavanny, Razor Leaf!" Burgh ordered, now desperately grasping at straws.

The Bug-and-Grass-type tried. She really did try. She launched the first few leaves without a problem, but as the poison that she had previously inhaled drained her strength, she began to throw the Razor Leaves with less and less energy.

Grunge winced as the first projectiles slashed at him, but steadily grew used to it as each of the following leaves dealt less damage. His ear tufts' soft glow grew into an almost blinding white light as he finished charging for his next attack.

Volan saw this as well. "Grunge, release Solarbeam!"

"BODOR!" the Trash Heap Pokemon roared as he aimed his cannon-like left arm. The energy began to build up inside of it, and then Grunge fired a massive beam of white-hot solar energy straight at Leavanny.

The Nurturing Pokemon never stood a chance. When the beam finally faded, she was charred and smoking in several places as she collapsed in a heap on the ground. "Vaaaaan…" she whimpered.

Clyde had a huge grin on his face, probably from the excitement of the battle that had just taken place. "Leavanny is unable to battle, and that means the Gym Leader is out of usable Pokemon! This match goes to the challenger, Volantes!"

Thrin and Bianca leapt up from their sitting positions and cheered loudly. Stephan and Tony applauded and Grunge threw back his head and gave a victory roar. Bernice cooed happily and lofted into the air, circling around the battlefield in some sort of victory flight.

"That was absolutely awesome, Volan!" Thrin said, flinging her arms around her brother. Bianca joined them and embraced both of them excitedly, and Grunge stomped over and lifted them all into the air as he gave them a huge Ursaring hug.

Volan laughed and wriggled out of the Poison-type's grasp. "Grunge, you were amazing out there, as always," he congratulated him. Grunge just grinned and nodded his agreement. He was pretty proud of himself.

"That was certainly something," Tony said abruptly, startling Volan. He hadn't even heard the other boy approach.

"Thanks," he said uncomfortably, giving Tony the cold shoulder again. "By the way, that was a pretty good battle you gave Thrin and I yesterday. I wanted to thank you for that."

Tony shrugged with equal discomfort and left it at that. Lucky cocked her head and regarded Volan quizzically, before fluttering away to talk to Bernice.

"My word, Volan, that was an absolutely artistic battle!" Burgh said, coming out of nowhere. "It's not often I come across a Trainer with as much skill and style as you! Here you go, take the Insect Badge!"

The Gym Leader handed Volan a curiously-shaped piece of metal – as with the Trio and Basic Badges, it was edged in gold, but its main color was a bright, vibrant green. Its shape was like the wing of a Bug-type Pokemon.

"Thanks for giving me such a great battle, Burgh," Volan said, shaking the Gym Leader's extended hand. "My Pokemon and I had a lot of fun."

Before Burgh could respond, Stephan rushed over and butted into the conversation. "You promised me we could battle next! Let's go! I've been itching for a battle all day!"

Burgh backed away and smiled nervously. "Um, I have to heal my Pokemon first, you know," he replied with a short laugh. "Why don't you and your friends have lunch, seeing as it's almost noon, and then you can battle me afterwards?"

Stephan pouted, but reluctantly complied.

Just then, Thrin stepped up towards the curly-haired man. "Excuse me," she said, a little tentatively, "but would you be willing to give me a battle as well? I really want to train my Pokemon to get stronger, and I think that battling your Pokemon would be a great experience for them."

Burgh beamed at her. "Of course!" he agreed. "My, so many challengers I've had recently. I'll battle you after Steven, alright?"

Suddenly, Volan and the others simultaneously jumped in fright as a loud shout cut through the air, startling them into silence.

"WHY CAN'T ANYONE GET MY NAME RIGHT?!"

-.-.-.-.-.

**I've always thought how amusing it would be if Whirlipede made car tire-like sounds when it rolled. Also, I wonder what Scolipede would look like if it used Steamroller…**

**And thus, Badge Number Three lands in Volan's hands! Rickie has evolved into Palpitoad! Things can only go up from here!**

**Leavanny: "Lea-vaaaaaany~! ****_Review, please~!_****"**

**Chapter Question #17: Pokemon X and Y are coming out in just a week! Which is your favorite of the Pokemon introduced so far?**

**Mine is the almighty Noivern! Although Malamar and Clauncher are pretty epic as well.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Bite, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Screech, Poison Sting, Attract**


	28. Onward to Virbank City!

**_Chapter 27 – Onward to Virbank City!_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan had just lost a Pokemon, his Sandile Rudy, to Burgh's Whirlipede. He sent out Rickie for an action-packed battle, and defeated Whirlipede after using Sing to disable him. However, Burgh then sent out his most powerful Pokemon, Leavanny, and Rickie was unable to defeat her even after evolving into Palpitoad. Volan sent out Grunge as his last Pokemon, easily defeating Leavanny and earning himself the Insect Badge!**

-.-.-.-.-.

It was the middle of the afternoon when Volan, Thrin, Stephan, and Tony finally exited the Castelia City Gym for the last time. Stephan was clutching his brand-new Insect Badge in his fist, still breathing hard with excitement from his earlier battle. His Sawk had ended up winning his Gym battle with flying colors.

Thrin was also feeling very pleased with herself. Although she had lost to Burgh, her Pokemon had gained some valuable experience, and she was sure that they were a lot tougher than when she had first called them into battle. Right now, Oliver was walking alongside her, feeling proud of himself for meeting Whirlipede's Steamroller with Flame Charge and knocking the Bug-and-Poison-type clear off of the battlefield.

"Well, that was certainly a productive day," Tony commented. "Three Gym badges, and one really good attempt at one, in just two days."

"Don't forget Bianca," Volan added. "I think she's going to be sticking around Castelia City for a while in order to win against Burgh as well."

"He's certainly a busy Beedrill," Thrin said wryly, chuckling at her own little pun.

Stephan nodded in agreement. "And Team Plasma's been stopped once more! We're certainly turning out to be quite the heroic group, aren't we?"

Volan couldn't help laughing a bit at Stephan's enthusiasm. Soon, they were all laughing as they turned the corner and onto another street.

Suddenly, Volan saw something that caught his eye. Or rather, someone.

"Say, isn't that Don George?" he asked incredulously, peering into the distance.

Everyone looked as well. Sure enough, the burly man was walking just ahead of them, then suddenly he turned and headed off in another direction.

"Don George? The guy from the Nacrene City Battle Club?" asked Tony, looking for confirmation.

"The one and only," said Thrin, looking away for a moment to check the map she still carried. "It seems as if he's heading toward the docks."

The four Trainers decided to follow Don George. They turned down the street he had gone down, and almost immediately saw the choppy seawater in the far distance and smelled the salty breeze that swept in. Volan instinctively shuddered – although he did love the refreshing smell, it always reminded him of the ocean. And he did not like the ocean.

They caught up to Don George when he stopped at the end of one pier, gazing out at the wind-stirred water. Most likely, he was waiting for a boat. But as they approached, he suddenly turned around and caught sight of them.

Don George abruptly burst into jovial laughter. "Well if it isn't Volantes, Thrin, and Stefano!" he guffawed. "How're you all doin' this fine afternoon?"

Thrin, for one, was stunned that he remembered their names – for the most part, at least. "You still remember us? You probably see hundreds of Trainers a day at your Battle Clubs! Why is it that you kept _our_ names in mind?"

Volan had to admit that he had been wondering the same thing.

Don George folded his arms across his broad chest and grinned down at them. "I always remember a Trainer with potential. And I have to say that the three of you have mighty potential!" he explained. Then he glanced over at Tony and added, "You as well, Tony. Gee, I didn't see you standin' back there!"

Tony shrugged, the abrupt movement making Lucky flutter her wings reflexively.

"I assume yer all waitin' to go to Virbank City as well?" Don George continued. "I'm on my way to Virbank to prepare for the Club Battle Tournament tomorrow. Are you comin' along?"

Volan blinked. He had completely forgotten about the tournament Don George had mentioned back in Nacrene City. "Its tomorrow?" he asked in surprise.

"You betcha," Don George replied. "You'll be able to register on the day of the tournament, so you don't have to worry about a thing right now – except getting there, of course."

"Awesome!" Stephan enthused. "It'll be the perfect opportunity for me and my Pokemon to train for our next Gym challenge!"

"I was just about to say that," Tony said with a smile.

Don George laughed. "I take it yer all going to enter?" he asked.

"Freeeeh!" chirped Lucky, almost insulted by the question. "_Of course we are!_"

"Nite Pignite!" cried Oliver, pumping his fists. "_Yeah, I'm with her!_"

"Pidooooove, dove dooooove!" trilled Bernice, clearly agreeing with them. "_Master Volan and I will defeat anyone who stands in our way!_"

Volan smiled wryly. "I guess with our Pokemon getting all worked up about it, how could we refuse?" he said. "When is the boat to Virbank City arriving?"

After a second of uncertain silence, Thrin pointed out a billboard displaying the times for when the ferries would be pulling into the harbor. She and Oliver ran over to it, examined it for about a minute, and then came running back. The younger Gurei expression was a little disheartened.

"The ferry to Virbank City comes at two o'clock," she said, disappointed. "That's in thirty minutes!"

Volan scoffed. "You're getting worked up about a half hour between now and then? It could be a lot worse, you know."

"He has a point," Tony agreed, taking Volan momentarily aback. He hadn't expected the Bug-type specialist to take his side.

Thrin deflated a little further. "But what'll we do until then?" she asked. "Now that I know there's a tournament to enter, I want to sign up right now!"

All of a sudden, there was the sound of running footsteps that seemed to get louder by the second. "Helloooo-oooooo~!" the familiar, sing-song voice called. It was then that Volan spotted the familiar green beret and blonde hair of none other than Bianca. He eventually saw Cheren following closely behind her.

"I got my Gym badge~!" Bianca sang, holding up her Insect Badge for them all to see. "And now I hear that there's a tournament in Virbank City going on tomorrow! Cheren and I are going to enter!"

"Oh, is that so?" Volan asked snidely, shifting his gaze toward Cheren.

"It is," the bespectacled boy confirmed. "The entire point of my journey is to become the Champion, after all. I can't do that without taking every opportunity I can to make my Pokemon stronger."

Volan raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.

Don George gave his loud, jovial laugh again. "Well, well! This Club Battle Tournament is certainly going to be somethin' special with all of you competin'!" The loud guffaw was enough to startle Cheren for a moment.

"The boat to Virbank doesn't arrive for a while," Stephan explained to Cheren and Bianca. "We were just trying to figure out what to do until then."

Bianca suddenly clapped her hands and jumped up and down on the spot. "Let's have a battle, then!" she cheered. "Me and Thrin against Volan and Cheren, just like on the first day of our journey!"

"Hmm, I actually like the sound of that," Cheren mused. "It would be a good chance to see how we've all grown as Trainers. In fact, why not include those other two and make it a Triple Battle?"

Thrin nodded. "That sounds like a good idea," she agreed. "How about it, brother?"

Volan smiled and nodded back. He had never seen a Triple Battle before, but he had read all about them, and was more than willing to try it out for himself. He then turned to Don George and asked, "Will you be the referee?"

"I would be honored, Volantes," the man replied in his gravelly voice.

The six Trainers took positions on both sides of the pier, well away from each other, while Don George stood off to the side. On one side was Stephan, Volan, and Cheren, and on the other side was Thrin, Bianca, and Tony. Passersby, most of them fellow Trainers, stopped at the sight of them getting ready to battle, and gathered to watch.

"This'll be a three-on-three Triple Battle between six Trainers," Don George informed them. "Each of you will use only one Pokemon, and the battle isn't over until all of the opposing side's team has been rendered unable to continue. Understood?"

Everyone nodded as one, each sharing the same expression of utmost determination.

"Then release yer Pokemon and let the battle begin!" Don George said.

"Oliver, I choose you!" Thrin cried, and the Pignite ran away from her side and onto the battlefield.

"You're up, my darling Servine!" cheered Bianca, tossing out her Poke Ball. Instead of Snivy, her sleeker evolved form appeared with a confident hiss. Thrin puffed with pride upon seeing the Grass Snake Pokemon appear. _She must have helped it to evolve when we were chasing after Team Plasma,_ Volan realized.

"Roggenrola, win this for me," said Cheren, throwing his own Poke Ball. The blue light that poured from the capsule transformed into one of the living rocks that had played a vital part during the battle in Wellspring Cave a while ago. "Roga roga!" it squeaked.

"Bernice, I'm counting on you," Volan said, extending his arm. Bernice ran down his arm and lifted off, coming to a landing on the battlefield beside Roggenrola.

Stephan released his Blitzle. The Electric-type shook his head and flashed his mane, trying to intimidate the opposition on the other side of the pier. "Bliiiiiitz!" he whinnied.

Tony didn't use Lucky or his Venipede. "You're up, Lancelot!" he cried, whipping out another Poke Ball instead. What came out was one of the oddest things Volan had ever seen. It was a small, blue beetle-like creature with a curved horn on its head. It also had stubby limbs and a bright yellow belly. Its compressed face was dominated by a wide mouth with sharp fangs. "Karra karra!" it growled.

Volan took out his Pokedex and scanned the unusual Bug-type. "**Karrablast, the Clamping Pokemon. These mysterious Pokemon evolve after stealing the shell off a Shelmet. Due to this, they relentlessly seek out and target Shelmet. They squirt a powerful acid from their mouths when they feel threatened. This young male possesses the Swarm ability and the attacks Bug Buzz, Fury Attack, Endure, and Slash.**"

Volan's team called out their attacks all at once. "Bernice, use Air Cutter!" he cried.

"Blitzle, Shock Wave on Karrablast!" called Stephan.

"Stealth Rock, Roggenrola," Cheren ordered emotionlessly.

The three Pokemon sprang into action. Bernice sent a barrage of air currents spinning toward the opposing team while Blitzle fired a lightning bolt into the sky. Roggenrola glowed with a mysterious power, and a whole bunch of large rocks appeared from nowhere to bury themselves in the pavement.

Servine, Lancelot, and Oliver were all struck by Air Cutter, and because of their types being weak to Flying-types, they were hit very hard. Additionally, Lancelot found himself struck by a powerful bolt of lightning that hit him right when he tried to avoid one of Bernice's air blades. When Oliver and Servine leapt aside instinctively, they crashed into the rocks that Roggenrola had laid down.

Thrin, Tony, and Bianca were surprised and annoyed that their Pokemon had been so relentlessly pummeled by the series of attacks. Thus, they decided to launch an equally powerful counterattack. Thrin ordered Oliver to use Arm Thrust on Bernice, Bianca told Servine to hit Roggenrola with Leaf Tornado, and Tony pointed Lancelot in Blitzle's direction after commanding a Fury Attack.

The three Pokemon charged. Lancelot struck continuously at Blitzle with his horn, and the Electric-type managed to dodge a few of his thrusts, but not all. Roggenrola wasn't fast enough to get out of the way of Servine's lightning-fast Leaf Tornado. Bernice leapt into the air when Oliver bore down on her, but she was rapidly brought back down when the Fire-and-Fighting-type hit her in the wing.

The battle seemed to be seesawing back and forth, with no clear winner. But Volan told himself that he'd change that.

"While Oliver is close, strike with Quick Attack!" he ordered.

"Pidooooove!" cooed Bernice, immediately smashing into Oliver's stomach and throwing him the length of the pier.

"Blitzle, get behind him and use Double Kick!" shouted Stephan, eager to get a hit in.

"Bliiiiitz!" neighed the Electrified Pokemon, sprinting the length of the pier and ending up behind Oliver. As the Fire-and-Fighting-type flew toward him, he reared up with his back legs and delivered a ferocious kick to Oliver's backside, making him squeal in pain and go flying in the other direction.

"Finish with Rock Blast, Roggenrola," Cheren commanded.

"Roga roga!" squeaked the Rock-type, aiming the little crest on his head at the flying Pignite and firing two quick blasts of energy at him. Oliver was hit both times, and dropped like a rock into the pavement.

"Can you get up, Oliver?" asked Thrin concernedly.

"Pig!" replied Oliver, getting up and huffing fire from his nostrils.

Volan wasn't willing to let this opportunity get past him. "Bernice, Quick Attack one more time!" he said.

"Dove dooooove!" warbled Bernice, blasting forward through the air at Oliver once again.

Bianca saw the movement and acted instinctively. "Servine, use Iron Tail on Bernice!"

"Ser Servine!" hissed the Grass-type, leaping into the air with her tail gleaming silver. When she reached same height as the rapidly-approaching Bernice, she did a neat twirl and smashed her tail into the Pidove's beak, knocking her away from Oliver.

"Now follow up with Tackle!" Bianca cried, ecstatic that her idea had worked. Servine obediently dashed forward at Bernice, who had just hit the ground in a feathery heap.

"Bernice, Hypnosis!" said Volan, a mite desperately.

The Normal-and-Flying-type got up and conjured a trio of blue orbs that whirled around her hypnotically. Servine stopped in her tracks and gazed at the spinning orbs, fascinated by their movement. The orbs vanished, and she subsequently slumped to the ground, fully asleep in less than a second.

Stephan saw his chance. "Blitzle, use Flame Charge on Servine!"

"No you don't!" Tony retorted. "Lancelot, intercept with Slash!"

Cheren instantly replied, "Roggenrola, get the Karrablast with Headbutt."

Stephan's Electric-type stamped his hooves on the ground, setting himself aflame with the sparks that ensued. As he began to run toward Servine, Lancelot charged forward at him, horn glowing with an almost blinding white light. Even as that happened, Cheren's Roggenrola smashed him aside with a powerful Headbutt, allowing Blitzle to run freely towards Servine.

"Oliver, Body Slam!" Thrin called, trying to do her part in protecting her teammate's Pokemon. Oliver dashed forward and used his momentum to jump toward Blitzle, rising in height before coming in for a belly-first landing.

"Air Cutter on Oliver!" commanded Volan, thinking that his sister's Pignite was aiming for Bernice.

"Piiiii-doooooove!" shrieked Bernice, raising her wings and swiping them repeatedly at Oliver. Blades of wind shot forth whenever she moved her wings, and these currents crashed into the airborne Oliver one after the other. Although one Air Cutter wouldn't have been enough to dispatch a Pokemon of his size and weight, the multitude Bernice launched at him was certainly enough to knock him out of the air and render him unconscious in the impact with the ground that ensued.

"Good job, Bernice," Volan said, breathing a quiet sigh of relief. "Now use Roost."

Bernice nodded and closed her eyes, allowing herself to be cloaked in golden light as she healed herself of damage.

Meanwhile, Blitzle had finally reached the sleeping Servine. He tackled her with a final whinny, simultaneously bruising and burning her. The Grass Snake Pokemon was knocked across the pier and right into Bianca.

Tony gritted his teeth, seeing that Lancelot was the only Pokemon on his team that was in any shape to continue fighting. He decided to finish Blitzle while the equine was busy powering down Flame Charge. "Lancelot, use Bug Buzz!"

"KAAAAAAARRA!" screeched Lancelot, emitting bright red sound waves from his mouth in a stream, straight at Blitzle. The Electric-type neighed in pain and kicked his front legs into the air, trying to be rid of the intense noise. Lancelot kept up the pressure, increasing the power of Bug Buzz at one point, until Blitzle had fallen onto his side.

"Now use Slash on Bernice!" Tony ordered, unwilling to quit until it was truly the end.

Lancelot dashed toward the Pidove, whose wings were still cloaked in yellow light. She was dealing with the aftereffects of Roost, which ensured that she wouldn't be able to fly for a while. For now, she was helpless, something that Tony wanted to exploit.

But he had forgotten one important thing – Cheren and his Roggenrola. The bespectacled boy took one look at the charging Karrablast and said nonchalantly, "Roggenrola, use Rock Blast."

"Roggen!" chirped the Rock-type, firing a blast of energy from his crest. The Rock Blast hit Lancelot, exploding in a small cloud of smoke and throwing the Clamping Pokemon a short distance across the battlefield. Lancelot struggled briefly, then went limp.

"Thrin, Bianca, and Tony's Pokemon are unable to battle," Don George announced, raising an arm to acknowledge the other three Trainers. "So the winning team of this Triple Battle is Volan, Cheren, and Steve!"

"Having my name pronounced incorrectly really takes the fun out of winning," Stephan grumped, slouching slightly.

"Awwwww!" moaned Bianca. "I really thought I could beat you guys this time!"

"Looks like we need more training," Tony remarked, picking up his unconscious Karrablast and cradling him in his arms. Lucky huffed jealously on the sidelines.

Everyone recalled their Pokemon, except for Volan of course. They all gathered together and unconsciously formed a circle. The watching crowd applauded and whistled for a short while before going back to their daily business.

"That was a seriously intense battle!" Don George complimented them, joining the circle. "It's clear that yer all raisin' yer Pokemon with passion and kindness. That's what I really like to see in the relationship between Pokemon and their Trainers!"

His remark got varying reactions from the six teenagers – modest shrugs from Thrin, Volan, and Tony, a fist pump from Stephan, a nod from Cheren, and an excited squeal from Bianca.

"Now I'm really looking forward to fighting you guys in the Club Battle Tournament!" Stephan enthused, punching the person nearest to him – Volan – on the shoulder. He winced and rubbed his now-aching arm.

"Well, you're going to have to wait another" – Cheren checked his cross-transceiver – "twenty minutes for the ferry to get here. And then we'll be able to officially register when we get to Virbank City."

A minute of silence passed, in which the group of seven stood still and looked out at the gently lapping waves beyond the pier.

"So," Bianca chirped, clapping her hands together. "Charades?"

With the excitement of the previous Triple Battle over, the blonde girl sitting on the nearby bench returned to her book, a slight smile on her face.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Our first Triple Battle, short but definitely intense. We're going to be able to see the start of the Club Battle Tournament in the next chapter! Not only will we see our six young friends competing, but we'll also see a mix of new and familiar faces waiting for them in Virbank City!**

**Wait patiently and drop a review in the meantime!**

**Chapter Question #18: Who do you think Volan and the gang will encounter in Virbank City on the day of the tournament? You can take as many guesses as you want.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Bite, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Screech, Poison Sting, Attract**


	29. Entering the Club Battle Tournament!

**_Chapter 28 – Entering the Club Battle Tournament!_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**After more battles in the Castelia City Gym, in which Stephan won his Insect Badge, the group consisting of the Gurei siblings, Stephan, and Tony spotted Don George walking toward the port on the south end of Castelia City. When they followed him, they discovered that the man was on his way to Virbank City to help set up the Club Battle Tournament, which would be starting the next day. Bianca and Cheren soon arrived, also planning to enter the upcoming tournament. The six trainers then engaged in a Triple Battle with each other – the only Pokemon to get out fully conscious were Bernice and Cheren's Roggenrola, making Volan's team the winner!**

-.-.-.-.-.

When the ferry to Virbank City arrived in the Castelia City harbor, everyone was excited. Volan and the gang had been fortunate to arrive thirty minutes early – by the time the boat dropped its anchor, there was a large crowd that had gathered on the pier. Don George and the group of six were the first ones on, and at least thirty other people followed.

The boat took off slowly just after that, deliberately going at a reasonable pace so as not to give anyone a case of seasickness. The ride was long and relaxing as the boat crossed the great river, and the group used this as an opportunity to get a little rest after the rather hectic events of the past day or two.

On the latter part of the trip, Volan, Thrin, and Stephan stuck together alongside Don George while Bianca, Cheren, and Tony wandered on the crowded deck. As the tall buildings of Virbank City unhurriedly rose up into view on the opposite bank (although definitely not as tall as those in Castelia, not by a long shot), Don George explained the rules of the Club Battle Tournament to them.

Apparently, there were in fact three separate tournaments that made up the Club Battle Tournament. This was to prevent too many Trainers from getting left out, since there were only sixteen competitors in each tournament. The Trainers would be paired up randomly, and as the rounds progressed, the number of competitors would decrease exponentially, until only one remained. Additionally, each Trainer was allowed to use a different Pokemon in each round.

"And that's not all!" the burly man said excitedly. "Two of the Unovan Elite Four have kindly donated their time to help kick off the tournament with a battle of their own! It'll be nothin' short of legendary!" His eyes were positively shining at the thought.

But when Volan asked which of the Elite Four would be arriving, Don George laughed and told him to "wait and see".

Volan soaked in all this new information as the rugged coastline of Virbank City took its time coming up to greet them. He checked his cross-transceiver – the entire trip had taken about two hours. There was plenty of time to get registered for the Club Battle Tournament, get a nice meal, and head off to bed.

Bernice cooed impatiently from her perch on his shoulder. Volan smiled and gently stroked the Pidove's head with two of his fingers. "We're almost there, girl," he murmured. "Then we can get ourselves registered for the tournament and relax until tomorrow. We've been through a lot lately, wouldn't you agree?"

"Dove Pidooooove!" warbled Bernice, nodding her head. She nibbled affectionately on Volan's forefinger and then took off for a wing-stretching flight out across the river. With his Starter gone and his sister and Stephan occupied, the Gurei boy decided to go for a walk around the boat and see if he could spot a familiar face or two.

He stretched for a second or two, then walked off down toward the stern of the ferry. His thoughts wandered to what Don George had said earlier, about two of the Elite Four coming to "kick off the tournament". He couldn't help but wonder which two would be arriving.

_I've heard a few things about Grimsley here and there,_ Volan said to himself, _and I know quite a bit about Shauntal as well. Goodness, her books are great. But who are the other two? I guess I'll find out sooner or later._

Volan continued walking, drawing a few stares from some of the other Trainers on deck as he passed.

But while most of them stopped staring at him after a few seconds, one pair of jade-green eyes never, not even for an instant, looked away from his retreating form. Their owner smiled softly and snuck off after him.

There was a vague distortion in the air as something else followed.

-.-.-.-.-.

Finally, the boat docked at Virbank City. The captain stood by the gate as the crowd dribbled off of the ferry one by one, but when Volan and Thrin passed him, he seemed antsy. Even as they watched, he mumbled something about wanting to go to Pokestar Studios. _Strange man,_ Volan thought idly.

Nevertheless, strange captain or not, Volan felt relieved to finally be off of the boat and on dry land once again. It wasn't just his usual discomfort around water that had been getting him his time, it had also been the feeling that he was being watched. Then again, it could have been a hungry Frillish eyeing him from beneath the surface. You never know.

Bernice was back on his shoulder, twisting her head around and gazing at all of the new sights. Indeed, Virbank City was so much different than Castelia – it was smaller, not as crowded, and seemed to attract a rougher crowd. More than once, Volan bristled at the sight of surly, tough-looking teenagers, most of which that were bigger than him, glaring at him from back alleys and the like.

"I'm not sure I like this place so much," Thrin whispered the third time this happened as they followed Don George.

"Ahh, you're just overreacting," Stephan said nonchalantly. "I'm sure they're more scared of you than you are of them."

Bianca, Tony, and Cheren were back with them, having sought them out just before the boat laid anchor in the harbor. The blonde girl was sticking close to Cheren, who had one hand in his pocket as if ready to whip out a Poke Ball at a moment's notice. Tony scurried, like an insect, out of sight behind Stephan when a gang of bikers glowered at them.

Finally, the nerve-wracking trek through the main body of Virbank ended at the northern end of town, where things seemed fresher and cleaner. In the distance, Volan could see the Pokestar Studios sign clearly. But that wasn't where they were heading.

Don George finally stopped, his hands on his hips in a satisfied way, in front of a huge building reminiscent of a football stadium. "Take a good look, kids," he said proudly, sweeping a hand before him. "This is where you'll be spendin' the better part of tomorrow and the day after!"

So this was indeed the place where the Club Battle Tournament would take place. "It's so big!" squealed Bianca admiringly. "Ohhhh, I'm so excited~!" She did a little dance on the spot.

"Good Arceus," Thrin commented, craning her neck to look up at the summit of the huge building. It eclipsed the sun even as it headed toward the west. In a few hours, it would disappear behind the horizon completely.

"Where do we sign up?" Tony asked Don George, who led them inside. They found themselves in the surprisingly large lobby, filled with plenty of plush chairs and sofas to relax on.

"This is the common room," Don George explained. He led them off toward a counter near the back of the room. Making a gesture with his hand that told them to wait there, he walked behind the counter and rummaged around for a few seconds.

"Here we go!" the man exclaimed, putting a pen and clipboard on the counter in front of them. He jabbed a large finger at the blank lines that covered the paper. "Just sign in the spaces indicated. Give yer full name and Trainer ID, and yer all set to go!"

The six Trainers each took their turns filling in the spaces provided for them. First the two Gureis went, then Bianca, Stephan, Cheren, and finally Tony. There were still ten spaces left over. Volan couldn't help but wonder who else would be entering, and if he'd know any of them.

"I'm lookin' forward to seein' you kids in action tomorrow!" Don George said when they had finished, beaming at them. They all smiled back and left the lobby, which was indeed already starting to fill up with Trainers.

"So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?" Volan asked, throwing the question to the others.

"Train, of course!" Stephan said. "Our Pokemon need to be fighting fit for tomorrow!"

"You do realize that our Pokemon have been fighting all morning and for a good part of the afternoon, right?" Thrin replied snidely. "We should probably take them to the PokemonCenter and then get something to eat."

"Now that's a pretty good idea," Tony agreed. "I'm starving. I could probably eat a Tauros! Or at least put a fair dent in one, anyhow."

"Oh yeah? I'm so hungry that I could eat an entire herd!" boasted Stephan. His stomach growled loudly to punctuate his remark.

"Let's not turn eating into a competition, please," Cheren said warningly. "We wouldn't want you making yourselves too sick to battle tomorrow, now would we?"

The group laughed lightly before turning a corner. Stephan dug out his map and moved to take the lead, directing them toward the PokemonCenter.

Volan, who was at the back of the group, suddenly stopped walking. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a slight distortion in the air some distance to the side. This time, he instantly recognized it as the mysterious Pokemon that had appeared to him in Castelia City.

The Gurei boy turned his head toward the distortion and smiled at it. A split second went by before the distortion's silhouette filled with color and texture, becoming solid once more. The previously invisible Pokemon gave him a wide smile and floated over to him, coming to a stop just over his left shoulder.

Bernice, who was on his other shoulder, looked completely shocked at the unknown creature's sudden appearance. "Pi-Pidooooove?!" she squawked. "_Wh-what is this thing?!_"

The Pokemon looked over at her and beamed. "Tini tini!" it squeaked. Whatever it had said, it seemed to calm Bernice down a little.

Volan began to walk after his friends again, but he stopped when he realized the Pokemon was maintaining its position over his shoulder. He stared at it curiously, and it smiled brightly back at him. Its expression was so infectious that Volan found himself smiling as well.

"Do you want to come with me?" he asked it. "Is that why you're following me?"

"Tini!" the creature chirped, blinking its large blue eyes.

With that settled, Volan began to walk forward again, increasing his pace to catch up with his friends. But just as he approached them, Thrin looked backwards, and the Pokemon beside him instantly vanished.

"What were you doing way back there?" asked Thrin. She was looking right at him, but didn't seem to notice the distortion that signaled the unknown Pokemon's presence. Was it really only Volan that could see it?

"I… thought I saw something," he said. Beside him, the Pokemon shifted its position and momentarily disappeared from his view, and then he could suddenly feel it perching on his head. If Thrin could indeed see it in its invisible state, she would definitely notice its presence now.

But she didn't even glance upwards. Instead, Thrin raised an eyebrow at her brother and just gestured for him to come along. With a single flick of his eyes up toward his head, Volan followed her back toward the group.

They and their Pokemon needed to be well-fed and well-rested before the sun rose again tomorrow. They all had a very busy day ahead of them, after all.

Tomorrow, they'd all be not friends, but rivals.

Tomorrow, the Club Battle Tournament would begin.

-.-.-.-.-.

The sun rose early in the morning, signaling the arrival of dawn. Volan and his friends arose alongside it, fully prepared for the events soon to come. They ate a hearty breakfast and retrieved their Pokemon from Nurse Joy, whom they had left to stay with for the night. With their stomachs full, their bodies rested, and their Pokemon fully healed and ready for battle, Volan, Thrin, Bianca, Cheren, Stephan, and Tony set out for the north end of town.

When they got to the stadium, there was a gigantic crowd already gathered. They couldn't see Don George anywhere – "He's probably already inside and ready to kick things off," Stephan mused.

Almost as if Stephan's words had been magic, a man in a uniform hurried up to them and asked if they were competitors. Upon their collective "yes", the man told them to wait for the spectators to file into the stadium, otherwise they'd have a nightmare of a time trying to force their way in. The man in the uniform also explained that the sixteen competitors would be gathered in the lobby before being led to the seats that had already been reserved for them. With that, the man bustled off.

Slowly, the immense crowd thinned as more and more people made their way into the stadium. The uniformed man showed up again almost as soon as the last person had disappeared, instructing the six Trainers to follow him in.

The lobby was already nearly deserted. The only other people around were whom Volan assumed to be the other ten competitors. He gave each of them the once-over with his calculating, frosty stare.

The Gurei boy was very surprised that he recognized exactly half of the other competitors. There was Hugh, the boy they had helped recover his sister's Purrloin from Team Plasma. There was also the one with the spiky Murkrow-like hair – Ash – and his companions, Iris and Cilan. Volan shouldn't have been so shocked to see the green-haired Trip alongside them as well. But somehow, he was. The other five were people he definitely had never seen before.

"Well, well, well," came a snide, confident voice.

Volan looked away from his examination of a young woman with curly purple hair and glanced over in Trip's direction. The other boy wore a smug expression. "I guess I should have expected to see you here after our battle in Nacrene City," he said.

"Likewise," Volan replied.

"I hope you'll give me at least a challenge," Trip went on, withdrawing a hand from his pocket to gesture broadly at the other competitors. "I can already guess that I'm going to easily dominate this pitiful competition."

"Everyone except me," Volan said, adjusting his glasses as they slipped down his nose. Trip just smirked and walked away.

"You ready for this?" Stephan asked him.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Volan shrugged.

"Doooove!" agreed Bernice. She was certainly raring to go.

Volan heard a faint giggle that sounded from just beside him. He looked over and saw the telltale distortion in the air hovering just beside him. He smiled softly and turned away again.

All of a sudden, the man with the uniform came back, alongside Don George. The sixteen competitors stopped talking amongst themselves and faced the burly man, their faces twisting into masks of determination and confidence. Thrin gulped and whispered, "I don't know if I'll be able to do this…"

Volan patted her arm. "It'll be alright," he soothed. "Just believe in yourself and don't panic. You'll be fine."

Don George cleared his throat and began speaking. "I bid you all welcome to the Club Battle Tournament! May yer battles be intense and yer victories be sweet! But right now, I'm here to explain the rules of the Club Battle Tournament.

"Right now, there are sixteen of you standin' before me. But by the end of the fourth round, there will only be one champion! The one who has the skill, fortitude, and passion to make it to the top will be suitably rewarded. But the truth is, all of you will get a reward during the Club Battle Tournament – the bond between you and yer Pokemon will grow ever stronger!"

Volan thought he heard Trip snort quietly, but it was probably just his imagination.

"And now, the moment you've all been waitin' for!" Don George said, waving his hand for them to follow him.

When they entered the arena, the noise hit Volan like a fist. There were at least five hundred people crammed into the stadium, all cheering and roaring as the competitors entered one by one. They ended up taking their seats directly in front of a large, walled-off section of the stadium, where Don George and another man would be doing the commentating.

"_We welcome you all to the Club Battle Arena!_" the other man said into the microphone. "_With me as my friend and fellow commentator is Don George, the man behind this action-packed tournament!_"

"_This Club Battle Tournament already seems like it'll be the best one yet, just by lookin' at the competitors this time around,_" Don George continued. "_But we'll get to see them in just a moment. For we've got a real treat in store for you spectators – two of Unova's Elite Four have kindly volunteered their time to kick things off with a spectacular battle!_"

Volan, Thrin, and the rest clapped and cheered along with the rest of the crowd.

At that moment, two people entered the arena on either side of the battlefield. Because of their convenient seats directly in front of Don George's podium, the competitors were able to get an amazing view of the arena.

The first was a woman that looked somewhere in her early-to-mid twenties, with short, straight purple hair and a flamboyant frill around her neck. She wore enormous glasses that made Volan's look tiny in comparison, and carried what looked like a notebook and pen under one arm. Already, Volan had his suspicions as to who she was.

The second girl was one that Volan, to his complete and utter shock, recognized! Her peacock's tail of blonde hair and her pink gown gave her away as the exact same girl whom Volan had bumped into at the library in Nacrene City. Bernice cooed in surprise and glanced at her master, watching his reaction. But other than a blink and a raise of his eyebrows, there was nothing.

"_In the red corner… I mean, on my left,_" Don George's assistant awkwardly amended, "_we have a well-known and quite dashing young woman who, as you all probably know, has written several best-selling novels around Unova. She's the Ghost-type specialist, Unova's very own Elite Four member Shauntal!_"

Volan grinned at the sound of her name. Out on the battlefield, Shauntal smiled and bowed to the cheering spectators, opening her notebook and clicking her pen.

"_And to my right,_" the other man continued, drawing the crowd's attention to the other girl, "_we have our most recent addition to the Elite Four, joining after beating the Dragon Master Drayden. Give it up for the White Rose of Unova, the graceful Psychic-type specialist Caitlin!_"

Instantly, the color was sucked from Volan's face, and his grin vanished.

Thrin and Bernice instantly twisted their heads around to look at him. The Gurei boy couldn't take his startled, twitching blue eyes off of the pretty, elegant girl on the battlefield, who was formally curtseying to the still-cheering crowd.

Despite the noise, the girl and the Pidove could still hear his voice, reduced to nothing more than a dry, stuttering whisper.

"C…C…Cai…Caitlin…?!"

-.-.-.-.-.

The battle was dramatic and intense. Even the pale, dumbstruck Volan managed to enjoy the constantly shifting tides of combat between Shauntal's Chandelure and Caitlin's Reuniclus. Eventually, both sides struck with Fire Blast and Shadow Ball, knocking each other out and ending the battle in a tie.

The crowd exploded into cheers when the ringing noise and curtain of smoke from the resultant explosion faded. Volan managed a few slow claps as the two legendary Trainers recalled their Pokemon and exited – or at least, Caitlin exited while Shauntal furiously scribbled in her notebook before closing it and running out.

"_That was even more intense than I ever imagined,_" Don George stated. "_Of course, you'd expect that from a clash between two of the most powerful Trainers in the entire region._"

"_I agree completely, Don George,_" his assistant replied. "_Now, spectators and combatants, it's time to prepare for the main event! Turn your attention to the big screen, if you may._"

Across the arena, the huge television screen flickered to life and displayed sixteen digital cards, which each held a close-up picture of each of the competing Trainers. The cards suddenly drew together, forming a deck, and then whirled around the screen. Volan had a feeling he knew what was going on, but he kept it to himself.

It was as if Tony read his mind. "They're pairing us up for the first round," he whispered. "I saw something similar happen when I watched the Kanto League on television last year."

The cards finished shuffling, and the eight pairings displayed themselves on the immense screen. Volan noted that his portrait was the first out of all of them – he'd be going first. Don George read out the duos that would be facing off in the first round of the Club Battle Tournament.

"_The first pairing is going to be Volantes and Cheren!_" he announced.

The second pair was of Thrin and the purple-haired woman they had seen in the lobby. "_Next up will be Thrin and Burgundy!_"

The woman, Burgundy, looked haughtily over at the younger Gurei and stuck her nose up at her. Thrin stuck her tongue out in response.

Don George called out the next pair. "_After them'll be Trip and Montgomery!_"

Montgomery, a smug-looking, handsome fellow with an expensive suit and sleek blue hair, gave his opponent a short wave. "A pleasure," he said.

Trip viewed him through bored, heavy-lidded eyes. "From the looks of things, this'll be just basic."

"_The next pair will be Georgia and Iris!_" announced Don George.

The pink-haired girl next to Thrin stood up and fist-pumped. "Yes!" she shouted, then glared down the aisle at Iris. "I'm going to flatten you, Dragon Girl!"

"What a kid…" Volan heard Iris sigh.

"_Then we have Tony and Bianca up next!_" Don George continued.

"Yaaaaaaay~!" sang Bianca, dancing in her seat. Tony just rolled his eyes and grinned.

"_The sixth duo will be Ash and Roxie! What a surprise to see Virbank City's very own Gym Leader makin' an appearance!_"

Volan looked down the aisle at the indicated girl. She looked about as old as he was at least, had a tuft of white hair sticking up from her head in a small ponytail, and wore a loose, purple-and-blue striped top. She also carried an electric guitar for whatever reason.

"I'm gonna rock your world, kid!" she shouted down at the black-haired boy.

"Bring it on!" he replied.

Don George rattled off the sixth pair of opponents. "_Next is Cilan and Hugh!_"

"Excellent! I am looking forward to making this battle a delicious recipe that will be forever remembered in the cookbooks!" Cilan said graciously, bowing. Volan shook his head and suddenly noticed that Burgundy was bristling with anger.

"_And finally, we have Joey and Svallborg!_" Don George finished with a flourish.

"THAT ISN'T EVEN CLOSE!" screeched Stephan.

Joey, a kid who looked too young to be a Trainer, chuckled. "This'll be a piece of cake! Prepare to lose, wide load!"

Stephan saw red. If incorrect pronunciation of his name was his No. 1 pet peeve, then fat jokes were No. 2.

Don George's assistant was right on cue. "_And those are the Trainers who will be competing in the first round! But who will have the strength and skills to make it through the second round? Let's find out right now, as we ask that our first pair of combatants make their way down to the battlefield!_"

Volan stood up from his seat and made sure Bernice was steady on her perch, while Cheren got up and moved toward the entrance to the arena. "Good luck, brother," Thrin murmured as Volan passed her, and he gave his sister a reassuring smile.

"Coming with me?" he whispered from the side of his mouth once he was down the steps and inside the silent hallway leading to the battlefield.

The mysterious Pokemon appeared in a flash of color, gave Volan a victory pose, and faded from view once more.

-.-.-.-.-.

**GASP! What'll Volan do now, with Cheren as his first opponent and his emotions in turmoil upon the revelation that his crush and old friend is one of the Elite Four? Wait and find out!**

**Also, the final evolutions for the X/Y Starters have been revealed – Chesnaught, Delphox, and Greninja! They're Grass/Fighting, Fire/Psychic, and Water/Dark, meaning my theory was mostly correct! The funny thing is, I predicted the arrival of Grass/Fighting and Water/Dark Starters some years back – except they were a woolly mammoth and an anaconda, Mamothrash and Aquaconda.**

**Commentator: "****_And here come the noble readers! Will they give a review?_****"**

**Chapter Question #19: The gang's all here and waiting with bated breath for their turn to compete! And that means, you readers can ask any of them a question while the Club Battle Tournament is going on!**

**So, who're you going to ask? Volan? Thrin? Stephan? What'll you ask them? Give your question after you review!**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Bite, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Screech, Poison Sting, Attract**


	30. First Come, First Serve! Volan vs Cheren

**_Chapter 29 – First Come, First Serve! Volan vs Cheren_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan and the gang arrived by boat in Virbank City! After the six of them entered the Club Battle tournament, Volan discovered that he was still being tailed by the mysterious Pokemon that he had met in Castelia City. The next morning, the Club Battle Tournament started, introducing a whole slew of familiar faces as well as some new ones. The sixteen combatants were paired up for the first round, and Volan discovered that he would be battling Cheren while Thrin fought a woman named Burgundy. However, this wasn't before the Gurei boy got the shock of his life – one of the Elite Four that came to kick off the tournament was none other than his old friend Caitlin!**

**LeTantris asks: "Volan, have you ever dreamed of catching a Pokemon in Unova that you would like to have in your team?"**

**Volan: "I've always wanted an Archeops. But if we're being realistic here, I'd say that I'd enjoy having a Mandibuzz."**

**TheCharredDragon asks: "Bianca, since when were you able to sit still and read a book?"**

**Bianca: "The last time was six years ago~! Ooh, something shiny!"**

**TrainerNaps asks: "Volan's gonna make a move (on Caitlin), ain't he?"**

**Volan: "I-I-I d-don't know… I c-can't even be sure that she remembers me…"**

-.-.-.-.-.

Professor Aurea Juniper's large, expansive lab was indeed one of the biggest and most notable buildings in Nuvema Town. It covered a wide area of land, and that was just for the building itself. The fields and forest around it also belonged to Professor Juniper, and was home to several wild Pokemon as well as the Pokemon that were kept at the lab for study.

As a result of all the activity that inevitably went on in such a place, the professor herself was usually busy and rarely got a moment of free time. For now, however, she had her friend Emily Gurei to rely on for help, and thus her duties as professor were much less stressful.

Today, they had finished the morning's activities in record time. There was nothing scheduled until after lunch, so right now the two women could relax in Professor Juniper's living room. Emily was making tea while the professor lounged on the sofa and idly clicked the buttons on her TV remote.

The constant clicking was initially a source of annoyance for Emily, but she eventually learned to tune it out and focus on her own work. But suddenly, another noise abruptly brought her attention back to the professor.

Professor Juniper was exclaiming, "Arceus' crest, is that Volan?!"

Immediately, the other woman put down the kettle and rushed to Professor Juniper's side. The channel had been set to 25, which was where all of the Pokemon League tournaments and whatnot were shown. But right now, the show Professor Juniper had flipped to was the Club Battle Tournament, it seemed. Seeing the familiar name made Emily vividly remembered her ten and eleven-year old children watching the same program – Thrin was wide-eyed and trying to commit every detail to memory, while Volan glanced up at the television occasionally before going back to taking notes. Idly, Emily smiled at the memory.

But the smile soon faded when she indeed saw a person she recognized immediately. It was none other than her son striding onto the battlefield with a serious expression on his face, the light in his eyes as hard as steel.

"What's Volan doing in Virbank City?!" Emily asked, flabbergasted.

"You helped send him off on his journey, right?" the professor replied sarcastically.

Emily blushed and ducked her head embarrassedly. "Of course, of course," she amended. "Sorry about that. It was a gut reaction."

The Gurei woman sat down beside her friend as the commentator, Don George himself, gave the introductions. Whereas another boy would have smiled at or even waved to the cheering crowd, Volan acted as if he didn't even notice, so tight was his focus. He stepped out onto the battlefield and didn't look away from his opponent. Both Emily and Professor Juniper's eyes widened as they simultaneously realized that the boy on the other side of the arena was Cheren.

"Isn't that the boy that came here to get his first Pokemon along with Thrin?" Emily asked uncertainly.

Professor Juniper nodded. "Yes, that's Cheren alright," she confirmed. "I guess they're going to be battling in the first round. This will be a great opportunity to see just how both of them have grown as Trainers."

Emily had been privately thinking the same thing. Oh, how she wanted her dear Volan to win. She wanted to see him and Bernice defeat every Trainer that opposed him and then rise to the top. But all she could do right now, so far away from the tournament in Virbank City, was hope to Arceus that he would come through.

Both women leaned forward and stared intensely at the screen as, at that very moment on the other side of Unova, the battle begun.

-.-.-.-.-.

"_On my left,_" Don George's assistant's voice boomed across the stadium, "_is an older-than-average Trainer from Lacunosa Town, just starting on his journey across Unova with his trusty Pidove. Surely, this one has the brains, experience, and passion to make it to the final round. Give it up for Volantes Gurei!"_

Volan refused to be distracted by the roar of the crowd that surged around him after the man gave his introduction. Inside, he was uncomfortable to be around such a horde – the last time he had fought for the amusement of so many witnesses (but maybe not _as_ many), it had ended in humiliation.

And this time, his sister and good acquaintances (for he dared not call them friends just yet) – and Caitlin – were among said witnesses. He _would not_ lose this time.

Don George's partner continued with the introductory speech. "_And on the right is a younger boy of typical age, definitely without as much experience but certainly with enough smarts to make up for it. Fresh from Nuvema Town and quietly analyzing his foe's every move is Volantes' first – and possibly last – opponent, Cheren!_"

Cheren acknowledged the crowd, unlike Volan, with a polite bow and an adjustment of his glasses. He stared calculatingly across the battlefield at Volan and Bernice, who both gave him cold glares of their own.

"_So, Don George, what do you think of this first setup?_" asked the assistant commentator, still not finished.

"_Hmm, it's hard to say fer sure,_" the other man replied. "_I haven't seen much of Volantes and Cheren, but from what I have seen, it's clear that we're gonna see a mighty intense battle very soon. And on that note – this match will be a one-on-one Pokemon battle, and it'll be over when one of the combatants is rendered unable to battle._"

Volan gave a slow nod to show that he understood. As he did so, he flipped through his memories and past experiences with Cheren. He knew two of the other boy's Pokemon to be Oshawott and Roggenrola, but it had been a while since he had seen the former. Considering that Thrin's and Bianca's Starters had already evolved, it was worth keeping in mind the possibility that Cheren's Oshawott had done so as well.

The referee, who wore an outfit almost identical to Don George's and held two checkered flags in his hands, signaled for the two combatants to begin the battle. And then, it was off to the races!

"Help me win this, Dewott," Cheren said seriously, tossing his Poke Ball out onto the battlefield. The creature that appeared was one that Volan didn't recognize, but he could definitely infer that he was right about Oshawott evolving. The stoic otter-like creature was taller and more intimidating than its previous stage, and wielded not one, but two, scalchops.

Volan's Pokedex was immediately out, even as his other hand crept toward his pocket. "**Dewott, the Discipline Pokemon,**" the encyclopedia stated. "**This evolution of Oshawott trains itself mercilessly in the double-scalchop technique, so much so that it develops a fighting style all its own and unlike other Dewott. It cares for its blades well after every battle. This specimen is a young male with the Torrent ability. He possesses the attacks Water Gun, Razor Shell, Night Slash, and Fury Cutter.**"

The Gurei boy considered his options as he sifted through his pocket, searching for the right Poke Ball. "Rickie won't do much against a fellow Water-type," he mused quietly to himself. "Rudy is a definite no, and I'm planning on saving you for later, Bernice."

This earned him an gracious nod from his Starter.

He dug out the Poke Ball he wanted and sighed. "I didn't want to do this, but… Grunge, show them your strength!" he shouted, tossing the Poke Ball.

With a bright flash of white light and a deafening roar, the Garbodor appeared instantly and dramatically. The crowd was shocked silent for a split second, then replied with a roar of its own. Dewott was also shocked, for an instant more than the crowd, but quickly regained his composure. Cheren, however, didn't.

The black-haired boy shook himself and made an effort to steady himself. He muttered something under his breath which Volan was much too far away to hear, but he could guess that they were words of self-assurance. He couldn't help but keep the cold, mocking smirk from spreading across his face.

"Grunge, let's see if you can snap them out of their fear with Pound," Volan said.

"Odor!" replied the Poison-type, stomping at an alarming pace across the arena and toward Dewott. He reared back with his arm and curled his 'fingers' into a fist, then swung hard at the Water-type.

Cheren suddenly jolted out of his shock and snapped a command. "Dewott, dodge and use Fury Cutter!"

"Wott!" replied Dewott, narrowly avoiding Grunge's attack by jumping to the side. As soon as his feet hit the ground, Dewott was running forward and readying his scalchops, which were shining a faint green color.

Grunge was too slow to dodge as Dewott made a final leap forward, slashing with his blades. The huge Poison-type bellowed with pain as the otter-like Pokemon struck three times before retreating. Staggering slightly, Grunge quickly regained his balance and huffed puffs of steam from his nose angrily.

Volan knew that he could end this at once with Solarbeam, but he'd have to keep Cheren and Dewott off guard before he could use it. "Grunge, Poison Gas!" he cried.

"Gar Garbodor!" roared Grunge, aiming his right arm and spraying his poison at Dewott.

"Water Gun!" ordered Cheren.

Dewott jumped out of the way of the spreading cloud and shot a jet of water from his mouth, which tore through the cloud and smashed into Grunge's stomach. The Trash Heap Pokemon was actually thrown a short distance before hitting the ground with an earth-shaking crash.

Volan quietly clenched his jaw and watched as the Garbodor growled and got to his feet. He'd need to do better than attacking directly.

"Grunge, use Pound to the left," he hazarded, after thinking of a somewhat clever idea. The Poison-type seemed to realize what his master was planning to do and barreled forward, swinging his left arm at Dewott and aiming for the midsection.

As Volan had predicted, Cheren told Dewott to dodge to the left – or from his perspective, Grunge's right. _Just where I want him._

"Pound again, this time to the right!" commanded Volan.

"BODOR!" bellowed Grunge, rearing his right arm back and throwing a tremendous punch directly at where Dewott was about to land. The Water-type saw what was coming and tried to change his direction, but it was too late – Grunge's Pound connected with his midsection, tossing him high into the air with a cry of pain.

Volan grinned. Now was the time. "Grunge, give him your Solarbeam!"

"Garbo gar!" replied the Trash Heap Pokemon. His ear tufts started glowing as they absorbed the morning sunlight that poured down.

Meanwhile, Dewott had just landed with a painful-sounding thud. Grunge's attack had left him trembling and winded, and he took his time getting up. When he got to one knee, he paused and looked up at his opponent. Grunge was standing about halfway across the arena, with his cannon arm aimed squarely at the Water-type even as his tufts glowed more brightly.

Cheren saw the Solarbeam charging and immediately knew he had to do something. He took a quick moment to run through the possibilities, then decided on his course of actions. "Dewott, block it with Razor Shell."

"Dew Dewott," growled Dewott, finally getting to his feet. He drew his scalchops and readied them for a Razor Shell attack. Both of them glowed blue and lengthened into curved blades.

At last, Grunge finished charging energy. With an echoing cry of "GARBODOR!" he released the stored-up sunlight in a gigantic beam from his cannon arm, which sped on a certain collision course towards its target. Dewott held his scalchops in front of him and stood his ground.

The Solarbeam struck and immediately exploded, throwing up curtains of smoke and dust while stray beams of light radiated out from the impact site. Volan strained to see through the combination of dark smoke and bright light.

"_What a hit!_" commented the assistant commentator.

"_That was by no doubt a powerful attack,_" agreed Don George. "_That just might have been the end fer Dewott._"

When it all faded, he could not believe his eyes. Dewott was standing there, relatively unharmed, with both of his glowing blue scalchops held in front of him like a shield. Grunge was equally stunned that the Water-type had managed to block such an immense attack.

Cheren didn't let even a second go to waste. "Dewott, Night Slash!" he commanded.

"Wott!" cried Dewott, re-adjusting his grip on the blades so he could better fight with them. The scalchops turned from a shining blue to a black-purple just before he charged at Grunge.

"Body Slam!" cried Volan.

Grunge leapt high into the air, avoiding Dewott's swinging blades by inches. He then turned a slow somersault before coming straight back down, landing solidly on top of Dewott. Volan winced as he witnessed this.

Cheren was initially startled, but that faded quickly. "Use Water Gun!" he called out.

Grunge was suddenly launched into the air by a powerful jet of water that erupted from beneath him, pushing him upwards and at a slight angle. He landed on his back with a small tremor, and Dewott stood up from the crater the Garbodor had caused.

"Night Slash!" called Cheren, sensing victory.

Dewott jumped so that he was above the fallen Poison-type, then drew his scalchops and made them glow dark purple. As he fell back down, he held them high above his head and did an aerial flip, aiming to crash his blades down on Grunge's belly and finish him off.

Volan couldn't lose so soon! "Grunge, use Pound!" he cried desperately.

Somehow, the Garbodor heard him through the haze of pain his head was in after that fall. His eyes focused on the rapidly-falling Dewott as the Discipline Pokemon prepared to strike him down with Night Slash. _That isn't going to happen!_ he thought, the words roaring in his mind.

"Garbodor!" he bellowed, springing to his feet and lashing out with his cannon arm. The limb struck Dewott in the side, throwing him across the battlefield and knocking away his scalchops.

Dewott landed on his feet, skidding to a halt even as he planted a hand on the ground to help steady himself. He looked toward Cheren, waiting for an order that wasn't long in coming. "Dewott, give yourself cover with Water Gun and retrieve your scalchops!"

"Dew!" the Water-type said, launching a blast of water at Grunge. Without waiting to see if it had hit, he ran toward the first of the fallen blades.

Volan was ready for such a maneuver, though. It reminded of him of what Valkyrie had done with her Poison Sting before being captured by his sister – keeping the enemy occupied while attempting to achieve a bigger, more important goal. And he knew just what to do to prevent both from happening.

"Grunge, jump as if you're about to use Body Slam, then use Poison Gas around Dewott!" the Gurei boy commanded, certain that this would work.

"Bodor!" cried Grunge, jumping as high as he could. The Water Gun sailed beneath him and splattered against the far wall, drenching some of the spectators.

"_That's certainly a powerful jump for such a heavy Pokemon,_" Don George commented. "_He completely cleared that Water Gun! It's clear that this Garbodor's been exceptionally well-trained._"

But Grunge wasn't done yet. As he began to approach the apex of his jump, he aimed his right arm down at Dewott and squirted his noxious fumes across the battlefield. Below, Dewott hastily paused as a wall of toxic gas suddenly appeared in front of him. He looked back, planning to go around the unexpected barrier, but all he saw was more purple fog. The Water-type was trapped on all sides by Poison Gas.

"Now, Body Slam!" commanded Volan.

The Garbodor plummeted downwards on a direct course for the middle of Dewott's toxic cage. The other Pokemon had nowhere to go, and nothing to block with.

But suddenly, Cheren called out to the panicking Water-type. "Hold your breath and escape!"

Mentally, Dewott facepalmed for not thinking of that. He took a deep gulp of air and plunged through the poisonous fog, emerging safely on the other side. Grunge struck the ground right behind him with a huge crash that shook the stadium.

Volan cursed under his breath. He hadn't expected Cheren to do that. He could see the other boy smirking at him across the battlefield right now, and planned to change that immediately. Right now, the Poison Gas was lingering, and Dewott couldn't see Grunge at all through it. Now was the time to act.

"Grunge, use another Body Slam!" he cried.

"Garrrrrr-BODOR!" bellowed Grunge, jumping into the air and soaring high over the wall of Poison Gas. Dewott looked over the fog and saw Grunge eclipse the sun as he bore down on him feet-first.

"Dodge, Dewott!" Cheren shouted.

"Wott!" the Water-type replied, hurling himself out of the way. Behind him, Grunge slammed down into the ground, causing a tremor that formed cracks in the battlefield. Dewott lost his balance as the earth shook, momentarily stunned.

Cheren was frantic now, so unlike his usual composed self. "Dewott, stand up and get your scalchops back!" he called desperately.

"Grunge, use Pound into Poison Gas!" Volan retorted, the smile from earlier appearing once more.

Dewott ran towards one of his fallen blades, only to encounter the enormous Poison-type. Grinning, Grunge swung his fist at the otter-like Pokemon, but didn't strike him. Instead, when the fist got close enough, he unclenched it and shot three streams of toxic fog straight into Dewott's face. Caught off guard, Dewott had no choice but to breathe it in.

"_Incredible!_" exclaimed the commentator. "_Volantes uses a creative method to weaken Dewott. Now, instead of beating it down and exhausting his Pokemon, all he has to do is wait for the poison to take effect!_"

Volan felt like the commentator was overdoing it, but that was indeed his strategy. Cheren's Pokemon had evaded all of Volan's other attempts to poison him, so he had disguised it this time as a physical attack instead. And clearly, his ploy had worked.

"Dew… Dewott…" panted the Discipline Pokemon, struggling as the poison coursed through him and threatened to overcome him.

Cheren was unwilling to give up. "Ignore it and use Water Gun!" he cried. But even though he certainly tried, Dewott was simply too exhausted to obey.

"Let's wrap this up, Grunge," Volan said with satisfaction. "Use Solarbeam!"

"Garbo!" affirmed Grunge, already starting to absorb sunlight through his head tufts.

The crowd was silent as they waited for the attack to finish charging. Don George and his assistant were holding their breaths (through the silence, Volan probably would have been able to hear them breathing into their microphones). Cheren looked like he had given up and was waiting for the inevitable.

And the inevitable did happen, only a few moments later. Grunge's ear tufts glowed blinding white as he absorbed as much energy as he could hold. With a deafening roar, the Garbodor shot a massive beam of burning sunlight straight at the motionless Dewott, who determinedly stood and faced it despite the poison.

This time, when the Solarbeam exploded on impact and the smoke and light faded, Dewott was left charred and unconscious.

"Dewott is unable to battle!" the referee announced, holding up one of his checkered flags and pointing it at Volan. "This match goes to Volantes!"

The crowd's sudden cheer drowned out Grunge's victory roar. Volan breathed a sigh of relief, which soon turned into a startled shout as the Poison-type picked him up and squeezed the breath from his lungs in an Ursaring hug. Bernice instinctively flew down onto the ground from her master's shoulder. He choked out a laugh and let Grunge celebrate.

"_And we have the winner that will be progressing to the second round!_" Don George announced into the microphone, cutting through the din of the crowd. "_Congratulations, Volantes. Yer trust in yer Pokemon has gotten you this far._"

"I believe it," murmured Volan, giving Grunge a grateful smile. "That was awesome. Take a good rest, Grunge. You've earned it."

The Gurei boy took out the Poke Ball and recalled the Trash Heap Pokemon. He then walked down to the center of the battlefield where Cheren was already waiting.

"You're still stronger than me," Cheren said bluntly. "It looks like I can't fulfill my dream of becoming Champion just yet."

Volan shrugged uncomfortably. Cheren was nice, but he still didn't feel like he could trust the other boy just yet. But he extended his hand anyway, allowing Cheren to grab it and give it a single shake.

-.-.-.-.-.

Leaving the sounds of the arena behind him for the moment, Volan walked down the empty hallway on his way back to his seat in the stadium. He still had Grunge's Poke Ball securely in his hand.

Bernice cooed quietly, breaking the silence. It seemed to Volan that she had enjoyed watching the battle.

He chuckled. "Don't worry, girl," he murmured. "You'll get to battle soon enough. Just be patient."

The Pidove nodded and pecked at his ear teasingly, giving a little warble of laughter as she did so.

It suddenly occurred to Volan that he couldn't see the telltale distortion in the air that meant the mysterious Pokemon was following him. But just as he was about to ask if it was still there, he felt a sudden pressure on his head and heard a quiet giggle.

"Oh, there you are," Volan scolded, but couldn't help grinning. "I was wondering where you were. Were you with me the entire time?"

The little Pokemon floated down into his view and became visible again, nodding its head and smiling its toothy grin.

An inspiration suddenly struck Volan. Putting away Grunge's Poke Ball with one hand, he dug around in the pocket of his hoodie with the other hand and eventually pulled out his Pokedex. Smiling reassuringly at the Pokemon in case it was frightened by the unusual device – after all, it did seem rather timid – he clicked the button and scanned it.

Volan's eyes widened in surprise as only two lines of text scrolled across the screen. "**Victini, a Legendary Victory Pokemon. No other data available, other than the fact that this specimen is a male.**"

The Gurei boy put away the digital encyclopedia and stared at Victini with new realization. "You're a Legendary Pokemon?" he breathed.

Victini tilted his head to the side, seemingly unsure of how to answer. But the expression cleared up as another wide smile stretched across his face. "Tini!" he squeaked.

Volan couldn't help but smile at the little creature's optimism. "Let's go then," the Gurei boy said. "I need to get back to my seat. Thrin's battle's going to be starting soon."

Strangely, Victini's smile vanished at the mention of Thrin's name. Volan wondered about that, but then dismissed it. _He is rather shy, after all…_

Even as Volan headed up the stairs that would take him back to the stadium, with Bernice on his shoulder, Victini vanished and silently followed him.

-.-.-.-.-.

**So, the identity of the mystery Pokemon is at last revealed! And of course, Grunge managed to pull off another extraordinary win! Now we must wait and see if Thrin will be able to achieve her first victory in an equally exciting manner!**

**So, Pokemon X and Y are finally out after almost a year since the first announcement. Only 70-ish new Pokemon, which is total BS, but the ones we have are pretty awesome. And we've got a Poison/Dragon-type! To be honest, that's another prediction I made that came true.**

**The offer to ask one of the competing characters a question or two is still open! What do you want to know?**

**Victini: "Tini tini! ****_Review please!_****"**

**Chapter Question #20: Seriously, what is the name of that commentator that appears alongside Don George during the Clubsplosion part of the anime?**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Bite, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Screech, Poison Sting, Attract**


	31. Nightshade Burns! Thrin vs Burgundy

**_Chapter 30 – Nightshade Burns! Thrin vs Burgundy_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan and Cheren squared off in the first match of the first round of the Club Battle Tournament! Unbeknownst to them, the tournament was being broadcasted live all across Unova. Grunge was sent to battle Cheren's Dewott, and after a long and complicated battle, Grunge finally defeated his opponent through the use of Solarbeam. After claiming victory, Volan was met by his little follower, whom the Pokedex stated was Victini, the Legendary Pokemon!**

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan made it back to his seat just in time to witness Cheren sitting down as well. He was a little surprised to see the other boy, especially because he had been previously knocked out of the tournament by Volan himself, but the Gurei figured that it was fair to let the losers stay and watch the rest of the tournament as it slowly progressed to the end. It's what he would have done.

Don George and his assistant briefly summarized the events of the previous battle, while the final thirty seconds or so played on the immense television screen on the side of the arena opposite Volan and the rest. Volan had never felt so proud of Grunge as the two commentators extravagantly praised him and his Poison-type and the screen displayed Grunge's Solarbeam hitting Dewott in slow-motion.

"_But that's enough dwelling on the past, because it's time to focus on what battles are to come in the future!_" the assistant commentator announced. "_Our next battle will begin right now. The combatants are Thrin and Burgundy! You are required head down to the arena so we can start the next match!_"

Thrin stood up beside Volan as the purple-haired woman named Burgundy did the same farther down the aisle. "I will crush you like a Bug-type with the elegant and aromatic display of my battling skills, _oui_?" challenged Burgundy with a smug smirk on her face.

"Ha! You wish," Thrin shot back.

Volan tugged on her sleeve. "Seriously," he said when he had gotten her attention. "Be careful out there, alright?"

His sister nodded and replied, "Of course. I know I'm not as experienced or as skilled as you, but I'll come through. Just wait and see."

Volan watched her head down the steps and vanish from his sight. "I hope so…" he murmured to himself.

"Dooooove!" agreed Bernice.

"Tini," said Victini from his invisible position right next to the Gurei boy's left ear.

-.-.-.-.-.

Thrin walked confidently onto the battlefield even as the roar of the crowd reached full volume, crashing in her ears and making her wince slightly. She couldn't remember it being this loud when Volan was battling – but maybe it was the realization that they were cheering for her, or at least some of them, that made the difference.

Don George's microphone-assisted voice, however, cut through the din and rang clearly out across the arena. "_Fer the second battle of this here first round, we've got another real treat fer you. Comin' into the arena now is Thrin, who happens to be the younger sister of our previous gladiator, Volantes. Now, the real question is, will she pull off as remarkable a win as her brother?_"

The younger Gurei gulped as the pressure seemed to increase a hundredfold. She supposed that that was part of the challenge, and that was why Don George seemed to be piling on the pressure. But her theory didn't make her feel any better.

_Relax, Thrin,_ she told herself. _You're going to win. You're not going to disappoint everyone after Volan won so amazingly._

Meanwhile, Don George continued with the introductions. "_Facing off against young Thrin is an older Trainer with a remarkable flair fer judgin' the relationships between Trainers and their Pokemon based on scent. She's the Pokemon Connoisseur from none other than the Kalos region itself, Burgundy!_"

Burgundy strutted into the arena, blowing kisses to the crowd, bowing, and generally acting like the pompous, boastful woman that Thrin already suspected her to be. She had heard people from Kalos were generally like that.

After Don George explained the rules of the battle – it was a one-on-one with no time limit, as Volan's battle had been – the referee raised his checkered flags and shouted for the battle to begin.

"Valkyrie, show 'em how you roll!" cried Thrin, whipping out the Poke Ball enthusiastically. She had come up with that witty battle cry last night. _Best pun ever._ She knew that Volan would be kicking himself for not thinking of it first.

The Venipede appeared in a flash of light, bristling with rage and determination, ready to knock her opponent into next year. "Veni Venipede!" she hissed. "_Let's do this thing already!_"

"Hmf!" huffed Burgundy. "I have trounced much stronger opponents than that petite garden worm!" It was clear that she wasn't impressed.

"V-Veni?!" stammered Valkyrie, outraged. "_Wh-what did that arrogant snob just call me?!_"

Burgundy displayed her Poke Ball with an elaborate flourish and hurled it in the air. "And now for my Pokemon!"

The creature that appeared was very new to Thrin. It was a small yellow fox-like Pokemon with huge red tufts sprouting from its ears. It almost looked like something a rich woman would carry around in her purse. And, for once, Thrin wasn't able to rely on her Pokedex for information this time. When she pulled it out to scan the Pokemon, all it said was, "**Fennekin, a Fire-type Kalos Pokemon. This specimen is a female, and is close to evolving. No other information available.**"

Thrin frowned. She was up against a Fire-type, which meant that Valkyrie would be in for a difficult fight – especially since she knew absolutely nothing about this Fennekin creature.

"Do you still think you can win against a Fire-type?" Thrin asked her Pokemon worriedly.

"Veni veni!" protested Valkyrie. "_I can take down anything if I set my mind to it!_"

"Enough chatter!" Burgundy cried. "It is time to evaluate how compatible you are with your Pokemon. Fennekin, start with Ember!"

"Fen!" chirped the fox-like Pokemon, breathing out a stream of fiery light directly at Valkyrie.

"Cancel it out with Poison Sting!" Thrin ordered.

Valkyrie reared back, then launched several toxic barbs from her mandibles that streaked forward with eerie whistles. When the combined might of her Poison Stings met the Ember attack, they indeed cancelled out in an explosion of smoke.

"Now Rollout!" cried Thrin.

"Pede!" spat Valkyrie, curling into a ball and launching herself at Fennekin. The Fire-type mewled in pain as Valkyrie smashed into her, throwing her to the ground in a cloud of dust.

"How dare you soil Fennekin's fur! I spend hours on her makeover every day, and you ruin it just like that!" shouted Burgundy, positively livid.

"This is a Pokemon battle – Fennekin's going to get dirty!" Thrin retorted. "Valkyrie, use another Rollout!"

The Venipede made a sharp turn and shot straight toward Fennekin once more, who was just getting up dazedly. However, the Fire-type managed to jump out of the way just in time as Valkyrie rolled past.

"Ember!" the connoisseur raged.

"Kin Fennekin!" squeaked the fox-like Pokemon, shooting a few blasts of fire at Valkyrie. The first few missed, but the last one smashed into the ground just in front of the rolling Bug-and-Poison-type, sending her sailing through the air with a surprised shriek. Valkyrie landed on her back, flailing her stubby legs in the air in a panic.

"_Vit!_ Use Tackle!" yelled Burgundy.

"Fen!" cried Fennekin, charging forward at the upended insect.

Thrin's expression became one of panic. "V-Valkyrie, get up and use Rollout again!" she called, frantically choosing the first option that came to her mind.

Luckily, it seemed that Arceus was smiling down on her. Valkyrie curled into a ball again and rushed to meet Fennekin, smashing into the Fire-type and causing her to fly straight up into the air as the Bug-and-Poison-type rolled past.

"Yes!" cheered Thrin. "Now use Poison Sting!"

"Venipede!" hissed Valkyrie, rearing up onto her hind legs for a better shot at Fennekin. As the fox-like Pokemon began to fall back down to earth, the Venipede fired several toxic barbs at her, which all exploded as they hit their mark.

Another explosion occurred as Fennekin hit the ground, this time of dust. Fennekin struggled to her dainty feet, clearly in agony from the way she twitched and shivered. Thrin could see that Valkyrie's Poison Sting had left a certain long-term effect on the Fire-type.

"Fight it, my darling Fennekin!" Burgundy wailed. "Use Tackle again!"

But even as Fennekin started to charge forward, Thrin grinned and called another order to Valkyrie. "Intercept it with Screech!"

Valkyrie's antennae began to vibrate with a supersonic whine, which caused ripples of sound to travel across the stadium. The crowd collectively clamped their hands over their ears as the agonizing sonic wail tore through their heads. Fennekin shrieked loudly and shook her head frantically, trying to rid herself of the sound.

"Rollout again!" sang Thrin, starting to feel confident. Clearly, this big-talking connoisseur wasn't all she was cracked up to be.

Valkyrie stopped the Screech and curled up once more, revving herself up for good measure. She took off as if shot from a cannon, impacting against Fennekin's side and running the Fire-type over as she was knocked on her side. A pitiful whimper issued from her muzzle as she slowly got up, the combination of pain and poison making the act of standing up doubly difficult.

"_And it's another powerful blow dealt to Fennekin!_" cried the assistant commentator.

"_Thrin's Venipede is certainly a strong and aggressive Pokemon. She has definitely trained it with vigor and passion,_" agreed Don George.

"Stay strong, my dear Fennekin!" called Burgundy.

"Fenne…" growled Fennekin as her face twisted into a pained grimace.

"Not long now!" Thrin said confidently. "Valkyrie, one more Rollout should do the trick!"

The Centipede Pokemon carved a sharp turn across the battlefield, kicking up a cloud of dust as she did so, and headed for one last collision course with the battered Fennekin.

"We're not done yet, _mais non!_ Use Psybeam!" ordered Burgundy.

"Fen!" chirped the Fire-type, the inside of her mouth shining with several colors. She then reared back and shot a bolt of rainbow energy at the rapidly-advancing Venipede. It struck her dead-on, causing a brief explosion of dirt and stopping her in her tracks.

"Valkyrie, no!" screamed Thrin.

The Bug-and-Poison-type rolled over onto her feet painfully, her exoskeleton sporting a new burn mark. "Pede…" she spat contemptuously, her voice sounding a little strained.

Meanwhile, Fennekin was doing her best to fight the poison that coursed through her. Although admittedly weak, Valkyrie's venom was persistent and was beginning to have a serious effect. Abruptly, Fennekin staggered as she suddenly felt a bit of her strength drain away, but she managed to stay on her feet and not fall.

"We are not going to lose! This _horrible_ excuse of a Trainer is too green to defeat us in the grace of combat!" Burgundy shouted, sounding more angry than concerned.

Fennekin seemed to draw strength from her Trainer's words, however harsh they might have been. But Thrin didn't know just how much strength Fennekin gathered until her body began to shine blue.

Thrin paled slightly. "Oh no."

Her eyes were wide as Fennekin was surrounded by swirling blue light. The little fox-like Pokemon shone brighter and began to grow and morph into something else. Valkyrie watched the process with a weird mix of envy and horror.

When the light faded and the process of evolution was done, a vastly different creature stood in Fennekin's place. She was still fox-like, but with a bushier tail with a stick embedded in it. The red fur sprouting from her ears was longer and curlier, and she now stood on two legs. "Brrrrai!" the new Pokemon growled confidently.

"_Simply unbelievable!_" exclaimed Don George. "_Looks like Burgundy's Fennekin has evolved into Braixen. How'll Thrin deal with this sudden turn of events?_"

Thrin herself didn't know. Her opponent, which Valkyrie had already been so hard-pressed to defeat, had just evolved into an even tougher foe – "Braixen", apparently. The Kalos Pokemon knew how to use both Fire and Psychic-type attacks, which were two of her Venipede's greatest weaknesses.

Suddenly, Thrin steeled herself and managed to draw her focus away from the odds stacked against her, and toward the fact that the battle wasn't over yet. She'd keep trying, because there was still a chance for her to win!

"Let's not let this discourage us, Valkyrie!" the girl called.

"Pede," Valkyrie agreed.

Glad that Valkyrie was still willing to give it her all, Thrin began the battle anew. "Now then, use Poison Sting!"

"Veni!" the Bug-and-Poison-type hissed. She launched a quick succession of purple needles straight at Braixen.

"Dodge, then Flamethrower! _Tout suite!_" Burgundy ordered.

"Brai!" replied the Fire-type, leaping away from the barbs in a single bound. Flames then gathered in Braixen's mouth, and she then spat them out in a stream with a ferocious yowl.

Inspiration suddenly struck Thrin at that precise moment. "Valkyrie, use Screech and focus it on the flames!"

Valkyrie began to emit her earsplitting ringing noise from her antennae, which she pointed directly in front of her in order to focus them better. As Thrin half-suspected, the Screech attack's vibrations formed a kind of shield that blew the flames harmlessly away.

"Rollout!" cried Thrin.

"PEDE!" hissed Valkyrie, throwing herself forward just as the flames began to burn out and disappear. Braixen couldn't react in time as the Venipede crashed into her midsection and threw her to the ground.

"_Non!_" screamed Burgundy. "You will not defeat Braixen and I! Now get them with Psybeam!"

Braixen got up and formed a rainbow-hued sphere between her dainty hands, and from it blasted a bolt of multicolored lightning, which zigzagged toward Valkyrie. The Bug-and-Poison-type was already slowing down and uncurling.

"Valkyrie! Watch out!" Thrin shouted, panicking.

Valkyrie turned around and saw the psychic thunderbolt lancing toward her. Instantly, she squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself – only for a blue barrier to spring into existence around her at the last second, protecting her from the Psybeam attack.

"_Well I'll be!_" Don George exclaimed. "_Looks like Thrin's Venipede has learned Protect!_"

Thrin let out her breath in a long sigh. She hadn't been expecting that, certainly, but it had done the job at least.

Burgundy growled and spat, "_C'est tres irritant!_ Why does that little bug keep getting so lucky?!"

"Brrrai…" Braixen muttered, clearly in agreement with her Trainer.

"It's not luck, but skill!" Thrin declared. "Valkyrie, use Rollout again!"

The Venipede curled up and barreled once again toward Braixen. The fox-like Pokemon managed to dodge, only to have Valkyrie turn right around and come at her again.

"Flamethrower!" shouted Burgundy, steam practically pouring from her ears.

Braixen breathed a huge plume of fire at Valkyrie, which struck her even as she shot forward. The flames pushed her back until she couldn't take the pain any longer, uncurling and whimpering softly. There were several large burn marks on her shell.

Thrin clenched her jaw. She didn't want to lose! Not when Volan and a million others were watching!

"Valkyrie, can you get up?" she called worriedly.

The Centipede Pokemon got to her feet and did her best to shake off the pain. "Pede, Venipede," she hissed. "_Like I'd let that stop me…_"

Burgundy was smirking. "It seems to _moi_ that you need to rethink your compatibility with that Venipede of yours. You two go together like oil and water. It is clear that you should replace that sad little insect with something you would actually go decently well with."

Thrin speared her with an icy glare that would have made her brother proud. "We'll prove you wrong!" she announced. "Valkyrie, Rollout!"

"Braixen, Flamethrower, _sil vous plait!_" retorted the connoisseur.

But this was what Thrin had been expecting. "Add a Protect shield to your Rollout, Valkyrie!" she ordered.

As Valkyrie rolled obediently forward with all the force she could muster, she projected a blue barrier that encased her even as she sped towards Braixen. The Flamethrower hit Valkyrie dead-on, but did nothing to stop her as she blazed through – pardon the pun – and smashed into the Fire-type.

Braixen staggered, then collapsed as she tried to right herself. It seemed that the poison was still affecting her – it just wasn't noticeable at first because of the dramatic burst of power she had gotten upon evolution. Thrin saw and smiled, confident once again.

"Why don't we end this with one last Poison Sting?" she suggested.

"Venipede!" agreed Valkyrie.

But Thrin could see that the attack Valkyrie was charging up was not Poison Sting – her tail-end antennae were lengthening, sharpening, taking on a deadly purple glow.

"_Color me surprised!_" the assistant commentator cried. "_Thrin's Venipede has learned Poison Tail on top of Protect!_"

"_Clearly, battlin' Braixen has given it a lot of good experience,_" agreed Don George.

"Awesome, Valkyrie!" cheered Thrin. "Now finish Braixen with Poison Tail!"

"PEDE!" cried Valkyrie, charging forward and flexing her newly-bladed antennae.

Braixen shrieked as the Venipede pounced on her, and the crowd went wild.

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan couldn't ever remember feeling so proud. His little sister had just won a battle against a Trainer that was much more experienced than her, against an evolved Pokemon with a type advantage to boot. When Don George had announced her victory over Burgundy, he felt like crying with joy. He made sure that he applauded as loudly as he could.

When Thrin came up the stairs and was about to sit in her seat, with Valkyrie in her arms, Volan hugged her and told her how proud he was of her. Her beaming smile lit up the world around him, even if Valkyrie's poisonous glare darkened it a bit.

The next six battles progressed one after the other in relatively quick succession. First was Trip and Montgomery, whose Frillish (Volan shuddered at the memory) and Liepard clashed ferociously. In the end, Trip's demonic jellyfish won with a Water Pulse-and-Hex combo.

Georgia and Iris were next – the dark-skinned girl and Axew managed to lose against the magenta-haired one. When Georgia's Vanillite dealt the finishing blow, Iris raged even worse than Burgundy, then stormed off the battlefield in a huff.

_What a little kid,_ Volan caught himself thinking.

Their good friends Bianca and Tony went after them. Bianca used her Lillipup, while Tony called upon Lucky. Volan clapped politely when the Butterfree slammed Lillipup into the far wall with Silver Wind and subsequently won.

After that was Ash and Roxie's match, and Volan made sure to pay attention to that battle. He wanted to analyze the Gym Leader's strategy in case he ended up battling her sometime. In any case, Ash's Pidove got flattened – literally – by Roxie's Whirlipede. Bernice spent the entire battle with her wings over her eyes, not willing to watch the carnage.

And then came Cilan and Hugh's turn. Volan couldn't help but grin when Cilan's Pansage used Bite on Scrooge's head – Hugh's Scraggy – and almost shattered its teeth on his thick skull. Then, Scrooge used Headbutt into Pansage's stomach to end the match.

Finally, it was Stephan versus some boy named Joey. Volan had disliked him immediately when he made that smart comment to Stephan earlier. But as it turned out, Joey was all bark and no bite – his 'top-percentage' Patrat went down in two Tackles from Stephan's Sewaddle. He fled the battlefield with the Patrat in his arms, sobbing.

Don George now stood up and unhooked his microphone, holding it up to his mouth and addressing the crowd. "_That was a simply incredible run of battles we've had today so far!_" he announced. "_It was certainly exciting watchin' these Trainers go head-to-head against each other in a race to get to the top! But now, only eight Trainers remain, and these eight will go on to the second round!_"

Volan, Thrin, Tony, Stephan, Georgia, Hugh, Roxie, and Trip all stood up and bowed to the crowd as one. As the spectators cheered, they sat back down.

"_Seein' as it's almost time fer lunch,_" Don George continued, "_I'm callin' a brief intermission so you all can get some grub. The second round will start in two hours. But fer now, just rest and get yerselves ready for the next excitin' round of the Club Battle Tournament!_"

-.-.-.-.-.

**Huzzah, Burgundy's from Kalos! Surprise! And according to Microsoft Word, "connoisseuse" isn't a word. Screw you, Cilan, feeding us false information like that!**

**Also, something I've noticed about the new X and Y Pokemon – I've been able to identify several connections between them and the real world. For instance, Noivern is based on a wyvern, which features in European myths, and Delphox is based on the Delphic oracle. And those are only two examples!**

**Remember, you can still ask any of the remaining characters a question or two! Answers will be posted in the beginning of the next chapter.**

**Burgundy: "Review, ****_sil vous plait!_****" (Or however you spell that…)**

**Chapter Question #21: I'm thinking of having Volan explore Kalos when this fanfic is over! What do you think of that?**

***imagines Volan riding a Noivern with a Talonflame on his arm* Yep, I'm certainly all for it.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Sing, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Bite, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Protect, Poison Tail, Attract**


	32. Sibling Rivalry! Volan vs Thrin

**_Chapter 31 – Sibling Rivalry! Volan vs Thrin_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Thrin went up against the Pokemon connoisseur Burgundy, a Trainer from the Kalos region! Using Valkyrie against Burgundy's Fennekin, Thrin started out strong but began to falter when Fennekin abruptly evolved into Braixen! But despite the intimidating challenge, Thrin and Valkyrie faced it boldly, with Valkyrie learning Protect and Poison Tail in the process! With one final, powerful attack, Thrin and Valkyrie won and beat the odds! Don George then declared the first round over when eight Trainers claimed victory, and sent them all off for a hearty meal before the next round!**

-.-.-.-.-.

The first round of the Club Battle Tournament was all but over. Only eight of the original sixteen competing Trainers remained, and all of them would go to the second round. But each of them knew that their number would dwindle exponentially until only one was left. Each was determined that it would be them.

In the cafeteria that was conveniently located next door to Virbank City's stadium's lobby, the eight of them – Volan, Thrin, Stephan, Trip, Roxie, Georgia, and Tony – sat down at the tables there, amongst the spectators that were crowding the cafeteria, and delightfully chatted amongst themselves over a filling lunch. The second round would be starting in just a few hours.

At one table, Volan, Thrin, Tony, and Stephan all sat together. Roxie and Georgia were yakking away at another table while Hugh listened amusedly, and Trip sat alone.

"I am so pumped for the next round!" Stephan exclaimed, wolfing down a fistful of fries. He had ordered a hamburger with a bunch of those on the side. With his mouth full, he continued, "I can't wait to see who I'll be fighting next!"

Tony winced as the chewed-up potatoes flew out of Stephan's mouth and uncomfortably close to him with every word. He picked at his Caesar salad, seemingly too nervous to eat very much. Lucky, however, gobbled her Pokemon food ravenously, apparently famished after her battle earlier.

"Say it, don't spray it," Thrin admonished lightly, swatting the large boy's arm with a chuckle. Valkyrie was on the floor next to her chair, eating away. "Didn't your mother ever tell you to finish chewing before talking?"

Stephan swallowed loudly and made sure his mouth was clear of fries before he replied. "Yeah, all the time," he said.

"That's hard to believe…" Volan muttered, taking a large bite from his Pidgey-teriyaki submarine sandwich.

The Gurei boy was joking, of course, but he was in a bit of a bad mood. Being congratulated for his spectacular victory in the first round over and over again, and by total strangers to boot, has a way of fouling your emotions.

"I wonder who I'm going to go up against next?" Tony wondered aloud. "I'd sure like to battle you again, Volan. Thrin too, actually."

"Freeeeh!" added Lucky, looking up from her food. "_I'll admit they aren't pushovers at least._"

"I don't know about you, but I wanna fight Roxie!" Stephan said loudly, causing said girl to look over at their table. Without noticing, Stephan prattled on, "That girl can't be too weak if she's a Gym Leader. But I'm sure it doesn't matter, I'd cream her anyway!"

Thrin tapped his shoulder and pointed over at the other table. Roxie's glare had more venom in it than an Arbok's toothbrush. Stephan immediately grimaced and turned his reddening face away from her instantly. His nervousness made Thrin and Tony laugh.

Volan picked off a piece of bread from his sandwich and fed it to Bernice. "I really don't care who I battle next," he said nonchalantly. "My Pokemon and I are just going to do our best no matter what opponents we face."

"Well said," Tony replied, nodding.

"I agree."

The snide voice made Volan turn around in his seat. It was Trip.

"That's the kind of attitude I like in a Pokemon Trainer," the green-haired boy continued. "But you're going to have to smarten up a bit if you want to make it into the finals. Everyone here has seen your battling style for themselves, so just abandon those blundering strategies of yours and you'll be fine."

"The heck's that supposed to mean?" Thrin demanded, as Volan's expression rapidly soured.

Trip just shrugged. "You'll see eventually. See you around, Volantes."

He left with a casual wave, making his way around the busy tables surrounding them and exiting the cafeteria.

"What the Arceus is his problem?" Stephan asked, wrinkling his nose distastefully.

Volan was asking himself that same question. _Didn't he treat me with some respect before? Why, all of a sudden, has he started acting as if I'm some weaker Trainer, someone not worth bothering with?_

They spent a few more minutes in silence (barring the chatter of the crowd in the background), concentrating on their meals. The quiet was broken by Stephan, who finished his meal with a loud belch and leaned back in his seat. "Man, I'm stuffed!" he exclaimed. "Want to head to the lobby and let our stomachs settle before the second round?"

Tony shrugged and picked up Lucky, setting her on his shoulder. "Sure, why not?" he replied.

"Hopefully it'll be quieter there," Volan agreed, holding out his arm for Bernice to perch.

Volan let the other three pass him on their way out the cafeteria. He was somewhat lagging behind them, due to a few unaware Trainers suddenly moving to block his way, when he felt a finger lightly tap him. The boy turned around, expecting to see Victini for some reason.

His eyes widened slightly in surprise when he saw Roxie staring back at him instead. "Um, how can I help you?" he asked tentatively, adding only a bit of ice to his voice. After all, the girl was a Gym Leader, and they deserved respect.

Roxie shrugged, causing the fabric of her purple-and-blue top to rustle slightly. "Just wanted to wish you good luck in the next round," she said bluntly. "Especially if you end up battling me next."

Volan couldn't help but smile at her comment, which was said only half-jokingly. Roxie seemed to be pretty sure of herself. "Thanks for that, then," he replied, turning to leave.

"Hey…" Roxie added cautiously, causing Volan to turn back around. Her expression was a little uncertain, even as she tried to cover it by folding her arms and leaning to one side confidently.

"Yes?" Volan pressed.

The white-haired girl scratched her head before returning her arm to its original position. "As long as you're in Virbank City, are you planning on stopping by the Gym?" Her voice sounded hopeful, even though she tried to make it seem casual.

"Yes, I might check it out eventually," Volan answered.

Roxie's posture slackened the tiniest bit. "You're pretty radical, man," she said, which Volan assumed was a compliment. "Just wanted to make sure in case we don't end up against each other in the tournament, 'cause" –

"Its fine," Volan interrupted. "I get it. You want to battle me."

The young Gym Leader nodded, then stepped closer to him. Volan noticed that she was only an inch shorter than him.

"One more thing," Roxie demanded, voice suddenly turning harsher. "Tell that idiot friend of yours to watch where he throws his dumb comments. One of these days, he's gonna get hurt." With that, she turned on her heel and stalked off.

Volan let out a soft sigh, which Bernice mimicked, and walked out of the cafeteria in search of his friends.

-.-.-.-.-.

"_Hello, and welcome back to the Club Battle Tournament!_" Don George announced after the spectators had filled up the stadium. "_I hope you all had a pleasant lunch. But the time fer chow is done and over with, and now it's time to move on to the second round._"

Volan and the other fifteen original competitors were back in their seats underneath Don George and his assistant. After all, it certainly wouldn't be fair to the losers of the first round if they lost their seat for that reason.

"_Now that the eight Trainers remaining in the tournament are ready for their next challenge,_" announced the assistant commentator, "_it's time to call the matchups! If you can turn your attention to the big screen, please…_"

Simultaneously, hundreds of heads turned to face the gigantic screen. Just like in the first round, there were portraits of the combatants displayed on it in the form of rectangular cards. They drew together to form a deck, and then separated to whirl around the screen. The matchups, it seemed, would be completely random, just like in the first round.

The first pair of whirling cards broke away from the deck and situated themselves in the upper right portion of the screen. "_The first battle will be between Tony and Georgia!_" cried the assistant commentator.

Volan overheard the pink-haired girl make a comment in her high-pitched, snarky voice. "Crushing this insect-lover won't be as satisfying as beating Iris, but at least it'll be easy," she taunted.

Tony simply shrugged uncomfortably, just wanting to get this battle over with.

"_Next is Trip and Steven!_" Don George said, continuing for his assistant.

"Piece of cake," Trip said dismissively.

"Yeah? You'll be eating those words!" laughed Stephan. His retort got a chuckle out of Volan as well.

The second-to-last pair of cards revealed themselves on the bottom-left corner of the screen. "_Then we have Roxie and Hugh!_" continued Don George.

Roxie, who was sitting beside Volan, smirked across him and the rest of the aisle down toward Hugh. "You're going down, kid!" she shouted in his ear, making him wince. "Oops, sorry, Volan," the Gym Leader added sheepishly.

He wasn't paying attention. The Gurei boy's attention was riveted on the matchups revealed on the screen – or, more accurately, the single matchup that _wasn't _revealed on the screen.

That was soon fixed. The final pair of cards flew across the screen and over to the bottom-right corner. On them were the faces of none other than Volan and Thrin.

"_Our final matchup will be Volantes and Thrin!_" confirmed the assistant commentator, his voice finalizing the random, computer-made decision.

The Gurei siblings twisted their heads to look at each other. Thrin could see that her brother looked a little pale, and Volan noticed that she was trembling noticeably.

"L-Look," he told her, trying to steady his tremulous voice. "It doesn't matter that we're going up against each other, right? We'll just do our best and congratulate the winner. Just… imagine it's another training session, alright?"

Thrin stopped shivering at those reassuring words. Yes, imagining that it was just another training session, and that the outcome didn't matter and never would, would help calm her nerves. She nodded and shook her brother's hand. "Then game on," she challenged, quashing her nervousness.

Volan did the same and smiled. "May the better Trainer win," he said.

_And we both know who that is, _said a little voice in Thrin's head.

But she determinedly ignored it and focused instead on the fun there was to be had in fighting her brother in front of the cheering crowd.

-.-.-.-.-.

The first three battles passed by quickly, or so it seemed to the Gureis. Then again, time flies when you're willingly not focusing on the inevitable.

Tony and Georgia were up first, as the other commentator had said. It was a pretty fierce match between Tony's Karrablast, Lancelot, and Georgia's Pawniard. Volan suddenly remembered that Tony had said something about Lancelot refusing to fight female Pokemon for whatever reason. In any case, Pawniard happened to be male, as a quick scan from Volan's Pokedex revealed. Lancelot ended up winning by meeting Pawniard's Metal Claw with a Slash and overwhelming the Dark-and-Steel-type.

Then it was Trip and Stephan's turn to spar. Thankfully, Trip's Frillish didn't make an appearance, although Volan knew it really didn't matter in the end. Instead, Trip used his Timburr against Stephan's Sawk. A fight between two Fighting-types was always exciting to watch, and the crowd got worked up into a frenzy as the Pokemon traded blows back and forth. In the end, though, it was Timburr who dealt the finishing blow and defeated his opponent. From what Volan could see, though, Sawk took the loss in stride.

Next were Roxie and Hugh. The Gym Leader ended up using her Whirlipede, the Pokemon she had used in the first round against Ash, against Hugh's Ducklett, Louie. Although the bird put up a great fight, managing to inflict a nasty burn on the Curlipede Pokemon with a Scald attack, it was Roxie who ultimately won. Volan clapped for Hugh anyway as he walked dejectedly off of the battlefield.

And now, after the other three battles, was Volan and Thrin's turn. The brother and sister stood on opposite ends of the battlefield. Both were confidently staring into each other's eyes, not wanting to show weakness in front of their respective sibling. Privately, they swore that they would do the best they could to win. It was Volan's truth and Thrin's ideal to do so.

But in that moment, both of their eyes flashed white and black. And because they were already looking at each other, they saw it happen.

Volan was shocked at how his sister's eyes had suddenly turned deepest black like that. At the same time, Thrin was completely stunned about the way his eyes had gleamed bright white. _What was that?!_ they both demanded inwardly. But neither of the voices that had spoken up in the past offered an answer or possible clue.

Unaware of this sudden event, Don George made the introductions. "_On my left we have a Trainer that has already pulled off an impressive win against his past opponent. He's older than normal for a new Trainer, but has an extra year's worth of experience under his belt. Give it up for the hope of Lacunosa Town, Volantes!_"

The crowd roared on Don George's cue, and Volan found himself blushing embarrassedly. Bernice ducked her head modestly as well, even though the praise wasn't directed at her. For the two friends of different species, to compliment one was to compliment the other.

"_And on my right is Volantes' sister, a spirited young girl with all the skill and brains of her older brother. She's a bright new star in the sky, a Trainer willin' to give it her all and best Volantes. This is sibling rivalry to its maximum, folks! Welcome Thrin to the second round!_"

Just as loudly as when they had applauded Volan, the crowd cheered Thrin on. She drew herself up more proudly, feeling so much more confident now that she knew there were so many people rooting for her. She would definitely do her best!

The referee made the call for the battle to begin, and slashed his checkered flags downwards. And the battle between brother and sister began!

"Oliver, let's heat things up here!" Thrin shouted, hurling the Poke Ball.

"NIIIIIITE!" cried Oliver, stomping his feet determinedly and huffing flames from his nose. The Pignite looked more than ready to tangle with any adversary Volan threw his way.

"Rickie, show no mercy!" Volan called, throwing out his own Poke Ball.

"Paaaaalpitoooooad!" gurgled Rickie, thumping his tail on the ground and flexing his tongue threateningly.

"_So Thrin's usin' a Fire-and-Fighting-type, while Volantes uses a Water-and-Ground-type,_" mused Don George. "_A pretty smart matchup for Volantes to make. But Thrin's been there and done that for sure!_" He was referring to Thrin's previous spectacular win in the first round, where Valkyrie had won against the Fire-type Braixen.

"The first move wins it! Oliver, use Arm Thrust!" cried Thrin.

"Nite!" replied Oliver, running forward with his arms set in a ready position against his sides.

"Mud Shot, Rickie!" Volan ordered.

"Toooooad!" said Rickie, extending his tongue and using it to fling five muddy projectiles at Oliver.

The Mud Shots flew toward Oliver at blinding speed, but he was ready. The Fire Pig Pokemon lashed out with his fists, smacking the projectiles away from him one after the other. He reached Rickie in the blink of an eye and lashed out once more, striking the Palpitoad's midsection multiple times before leaping away. Rickie recovered and glared heavily at his opponent, now hopping from foot to foot and jabbing at the air tauntingly.

"Don't let it get to you, Rickie," Volan advised lightly. "Now give him a Bubblebeam!"

"Paaaal!" he gurgled, inflating his cheeks. He then released a torrent of deep blue bubbles that smashed into Oliver before he could react, dousing him thoroughly in water.

Oliver came out of the attack gasping for air, breathing heavily in his growing anger. How _dare_ Rickie use his most hated and notorious weakness against him? He knew that Water-types used water to attack, but through his rage, he didn't care.

"Oliver, Body Slam!" shouted Thrin.

Huffing flames angrily, Oliver charged forward and jumped with all his might, rapidly coming in for a certain crash-landing on top of Rickie.

"Grab him with your tongue and throw him!" retorted Volan.

Rickie's tongue streaked out from his mouth and curled itself around Oliver's waist with a whiplash-like sound. The Water-and-Ground-type turned hard to the left, pulling Oliver along with him, and spun him in a circle. When enough momentum had been gathered, Rickie let go and sent Oliver sailing into a wall with a loud crash.

"Can you get up, Oliver?" called Thrin worriedly.

"Pig Pignite!" confirmed Oliver, hopping out from the crater he had made and still looking perfectly able to fight.

Thrin fist-pumped victoriously. "Awesome! Now use Flame Charge!"

"Pig-pig-pig-pig-pig… NIIIIIIITE!" screamed the Fire Pig Pokemon, stomping furiously on the ground to ignite a fiery aura around himself, and then roaring toward Rickie with the power of a speeding freight train.

"Mud Shot!" commanded Volan.

"Paaaalpi-TOOOAD!" cried Rickie, launching five more earthen missiles into Oliver's path. The first four smashed harmlessly against his aura of fire, but the fifth exploded at his feet and caused him to trip and fall.

"Now use Bubblebeam!" Volan said.

Rickie instantly spat a stream of watery bubbles at the downed Pignite. The Bubblebeam crashed into him like a tidal wave, knocking him across the arena.

Thrin gasped and called desperately, "Oliver, get up!"

The Fire-and-Fighting-type quickly got to his feet, far from out of the fight. "Nite!" he said defiantly, shaking off the water he was soaked in and glaring daggers at Rickie.

"Uproar!" ordered Volan.

"Flame Charge through it!" retorted Thrin.

Rickie took a huge, prolonged breath through his lungs and released it in a massive "TOOOOOOOAAAD!" His cry blasted across the stadium in a series of sound waves, distorting the very air as it threatened to sweep Oliver away.

But Oliver wouldn't be budged. He encased himself in a fiery aura and charged straight through the series of sound waves like they were nothing at all. Rickie couldn't do anything to defend himself as he tried to maintain the sound, which was powerless to stop Oliver's progress.

The Pignite threw out his shoulder at the last moment and slammed into the Palpitoad. Rickie gave a gurgle of pain as he skidded across the ground on his back and came to a stop near Volan. Grunting, Rickie got up with only a bit of effort.

"Are you alright?" Volan asked his friend.

"Paaal!" replied Rickie, nodding his head.

"But he won't be for long!" Thrin shouted across the stadium confidently. In truth, though, she was trying to keep her own hopes up. But she wasn't about to let Volan know that. "Oliver, Body Slam!"

"Rickie, use Sing!" Volan commanded in response.

The Palpitoad opened his mouth and let out a series of sweet, lilting notes that rang out through the arena. His voice floated slowly across the battlefield, calming all who heard it. If Oliver tried to run through it, he'd quickly become exhausted and collapse on the ground for a nap.

Thrin knew this well. "Plug your ears and keep going!" she cried.

"Pignite!" affirmed Oliver, holding his hands over his head and folding down his ears. He ran right through Rickie's song without even a single note getting through, and jumped high into the air as he had done once previously.

This time, the Fire-and-Fighting-type completed his immense belly flop. He plummeted into Rickie, throwing up a cloud of dirt and cutting off his Sing attack. When the dust cleared, Volan could see the Pignite holding Rickie down like a pro wrestler. To do that, the boy noted, Oliver needed to take his hands off of his ears.

"Uproar!" he yelled to Rickie.

"TOOOOOOOAAAD!" screeched Rickie, the eardrum-shattering vibration smashing into Oliver at close range. He howled in pain and threw himself back off of Rickie, futilely clamping his hands once again over his pounding ears.

"Flame Charge, Oliver!" shouted Thrin, extra loudly in case her Starter didn't hear.

Just barely, he managed to catch the sound of her voice, and fought to ignore his aural pain. With a single stomp, he ignited himself and rushed toward Rickie, who had stopped the Uproar now that he was free.

"Sing once more, Rickie!" ordered Volan.

But he was in for a shock – the single ring of blue light that rang from Rickie's mouth definitely wasn't a Sing attack. The ring stretched all the way across the stadium and beyond, soon fading from view. Then, storm clouds rapidly began to build, which then opened up with a raging downpour that soaked the battlefield. Even as he charged forward, Oliver's Flame Charge shrank around him significantly.

"_Well I'll be a Mankey's uncle!_" Don George proclaimed.

"_After a heated, see-sawing battle, it looks like Volan's Palpitoad has learned Rain Dance!_" the assistant commentator piled on.

Meanwhile, Oliver ferociously tackled Rickie, an explosion of flame occurring at the site of the impact. However, the fiery blast wasn't as big or as powerful as it would have been without the rain that pelted down. Rickie simply slid a ways across the now-muddy battlefield, plowing a trail of water and mud in his wake, and skidded to a stop, almost unfazed.

"Bubblebeam!" cried Volan.

"Toooad!" gurgled Rickie, launching the high-powered jet of bubbles from his mouth.

"Oliver, dodge it!" screamed Thrin over the pouring rain.

But the Fire Pig Pokemon slipped on the mud as he tried to run out of the way, and the Bubblebeam forcefully pushed him across the battlefield when it connected.

Something inside Thrin deflated. There was no way Oliver would be able to beat Rickie now. Her Starter couldn't even move on the muddy ground without making a mistake.

_Come on, girl!_ the voice suddenly roared in her head. _You can still change things, turn them around in your favor! Crush him!_

Thrin remembered this voice from earlier – it had spoken to her in Nacrene City after battling N. But now it sounded much more intense, even angry. _Now why would that be?_ she wondered.

But then, the younger Gurei shook her head to clear such thoughts. The voice was right – the battle wasn't over, which means she could still make enough of a difference to come out on top!

Volan was already issuing a command. "Get in close and use Mud Shot, Rickie!" he called, and Rickie slid across the arena rapidly, totally in his element amongst the rain and mud. When he got close enough, he extended his tongue and drew it back, prepared to strike.

"Arm Thrust, Oliver!" commanded Thrin.

"Nite!" he cried, lashing out with his fists just as Rickie executed his attack. Oliver slapped the Palpitoad's tongue away and then delivered a quick series of blows, pummeling his adversary again and again.

"Pig-NIIIITE!" squealed Oliver as he drew back his fist for the final blow. He crashed it into Rickie's midsection, sending the Water-and-Ground-type flying into the mud, and then sliding out of control on his back across the battlefield.

Rickie slid past Volan and hit the wall with an ugly-sounding thud. "Paaalpi…" he growled, rolling onto his feet.

Volan let out the breath he never knew he was holding. But suddenly, the mysterious voice in his head spoke up with a furious intensity he had never heard before. _Volan, you must finish this!_ it screamed. _You must win! Do not let Zekrom prevail!_

The Gurei boy was stunned at this sudden outburst, and much more so at what it had said. Zekrom was the Legendary Pokemon N had briefly mentioned a while ago. He knew it was a Legendary from the Unovan mythology books he had read in school. _What does the voice mean?_ he asked himself. _What does beating Thrin have to do with a Legendary? And why does it sound so enraged?_

Volan shook away the questions. The voice had a point – a battle was a battle, and he had to do his best to win.

"Rickie, get in close again!" he called, an idea forming in his head.

"Paaalpitoooad!" replied the Vibration Pokemon. He jumped forward and slid across the mud on his belly without any effort at all, swiftly closing in on Oliver.

"Arm Thrust!" yelled Thrin, anticipating what her brother was doing. But her prediction was wrong – Volan knew she would go for Arm Thrust again.

"Move to the side!" he ordered, and Rickie instantly swerved around Oliver. The Pignite's fists lashed at empty air as Rickie carved a swift turn and ended up behind him.

Volan smirked. "Gotcha," he murmured. "Rickie, finish with Bubblebeam!"

"Paaalpi… TOOOOAAD!" cried Rickie, launching his barrage of water-filled bubbles straight at Oliver. And as soon as the Pignite turned around in shock, the beam nailed him, pushing him into the far wall at high speed.

The rain suddenly stopped, and the sky cleared. Oliver's impact with the wall had caused another crater, deeper than the last. His body detached from the wall just then, and fell to the ground with a *splat*.

"Niiiiite…" Oliver moaned, instinctively going limp with exhaustion.

"_There we have it, Thrin and her Pignite are unable to battle!_" announced the assistant commentator.

"_And that means Volantes and his Palpitoad are advancin' to the semi-finals,_" added Don George.

The last word was barely out of the man's mouth before the crowd burst into spontaneous applause, cheering at the top of their lungs. It wasn't all for Volan, of course – there were those in the crowd who were congratulating Thrin for trying her best and putting up such a good fight.

Volan instinctively looked across the battlefield, past the celebrating Rickie, who was hopping up and down in the mud ecstatically. The Gurei boy stared at Thrin, at the melancholy slump of her shoulders, at the dejected look on her face. She had wanted so badly to win, and Volan felt terrible at being the one to have to disappoint her.

_A loss is a loss,_ he thought sadly. _Thrin's going to have to learn that eventually._

-.-.-.-.-.

**As I mentioned in an earlier chapter, Roxie's about Volan's age in this fanfic. So just picture the little girl from BW2 and stretch her to about five-foot-six. There you go, instant teenaged Roxie!**

**So it looks like Thrin won't be moving to the second round… let's give her a hand anyway. It also seems that the siblings now know something's up with each other, with their eyes flashing black/white and all. When'll they discover the significance of that?**

**And remember – you can still ask any of our competitors a question! (This feels like a waste of time now…)**

**Don George: "****_In the name of our determined and spirited siblings, make sure to leave a review._****"**

**Chapter Question #22: Should Volan and Thrin battle again in a future tournament? If I decide to throw one in, that is?**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Rain Dance, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Bite, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Protect, Poison Tail, Attract**


	33. Rest, Relaxation, and Reassurances

**_Chapter 32 – Rest, Relaxation, and Reassurances_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**The four matchups for Round 2 of the Club Battle Tournament were decided by Don George. Volan and Thrin were terribly shocked upon discovering that they would have to battle each other! They went head-to-head, giving it everything they had with Rickie and Oliver. Thrin's Pignite put up a good fight, even when Rickie learned Rain Dance to change the tide of battle. Just before the battle entered its conclusion, both siblings heard the mysterious voices in their heads once again, which egged them on and encouraged them to beat the other. However, Volan ended the battle with a Bubblebeam from Rickie, knocking his sister out of the tournament.**

-.-.-.-.-.

It was already dark outside when Volan and the rest decided to relax in the lobby. The contrast between the night outside and the lamps inside was very comforting. While the other fifteen competitors sat on the plush sofas and armchairs, chatting away, Volan moved away to a sofa near the window, a fair distance away from the others.

The parting words of Don George replayed themselves in his head – "_It's been an excitin' day of fierce combat and Pokemon and Trainers alike clashing with everything they have. But unfortunately, it's gettin' to be late, and I'm sure we're all hungry and tired after today's excitement. You all clear out fer now, and come back in the mornin'. Tomorrow, we will see the Club Battle Tournament through to the end!_"

Rickie and Grunge were both at the Pokemon Center, along with all the other Pokemon that had participated in the tournament so far. Volan had let Bernice and Rudy go off to socialize with some of the other Pokemon – indeed, a few of the fifteen had let out their partners to have a bit of playtime before they hit the hay. Volan knew that play was good for Pokemon, especially the younger ones – it wasn't just good exercise, but it encouraged fellowship and good will.

But now, Volan looked on at the scene in front of him. All of the competitors, including his sister, were talking and laughing together, generally having a good time. Even though Volan didn't trust the vast majority of them, he knew that he'd ordinarily be right there with him, sticking close to Thrin and perhaps Stephan, and joining in the fun.

_So why aren't I?_ Volan asked himself.

He almost wished for the mysterious voice to speak up and tell him the truth of the matter. That's what it seemed to represent, at least to Volan – the truth. But the truth was what Volan needed right now. He wanted to know why he wasn't feeling the need to socialize with the others. There was this strange, melancholy feeling making his bones feel tired and heavy. He sighed miserably, made even more miserable by the fact he didn't even know _why_ he was so miserable.

Instead, Volan leaned back and tried his best to relax. He was alone here, the atmosphere was soothing, and there were the voices of his friends and acquaintances in the background. The Gurei boy closed his eyes and let himself go limp against the back of the sofa.

"What's wrong?"

Volan jumped about a foot in the air at the sudden voice. He turned around to see Bianca staring worriedly at him. _When had she left the group over there?! I was watching them almost the entire time!_

Bianca sat down next to him and repeated her question. "What's wrong?"

He just sighed heavily. "I don't know," he admitted.

"That doesn't help much," Bianca observed.

"Well, I'm so sorry," Volan snapped back.

The blonde girl gave him a wounded look, and he immediately felt guilty. "I'm just trying to help, you know," she told him.

Volan was silent for a second, then replied, "I'm sorry."

Bianca gave him a cheerful smile. "Its fine~!" she chirped. "So, did you have fun today? You know, at the tournament?"

The boy smiled back, although it fell a little flat. "Yes, I did have a lot of fun," he answered. "Grunge and Rickie definitely did as well. Up until" –

"You had to beat your sister," Bianca interrupted shrewdly, giving him a knowing look.

"…Yeah, I guess," Volan conceded with another heavy sigh. "She wanted so much to win, and I just had to take that away from her. How can I not feel guilty?"

But even as he said the words, he knew that his guilt over defeating Thrin wasn't what was causing that melancholy feeling. _So what is it, then?_ he wondered.

Bianca was silent for a few minutes, and at first Volan thought that the conversation was over. But then, she spoke up again. "Thrin told me to tell you that she doesn't blame you for defeating her."

"Why?" Volan asked. "I mean, why doesn't she, and why didn't she come over and tell me that herself?"

The blonde giggled, breaking the tension just a bit. "Because I was going over to check on you anyway, and Thrin told me to tell you that. She knows you're in a bit of a bad mood and she just wants to leave you alone for now. And she also knows that you didn't have a choice and that you had to defeat her. You and Rickie just happened to be stronger than her and Oliver. That's all~!"

When Bianca said that, it felt like a bit of the weight pressing down on Volan's shoulders was lifted. Not all of it, but some of it at least. Thrin wasn't letting her loss get her down, so it only made sense that he shouldn't, either.

"Thanks for the explanation, Bianca," the Gurei boy said gratefully.

"Don't mention it!" was the sing-song reply he got.

There was relative silence for a few moments more, before Volan decided to break it. "How's your journey with Cheren been going?" he asked.

Bianca seemed delighted that he had asked that. "Oh, wonderful~!" she replied happily. "We've been having lots of fun, and he's been teaching me a lot! Sure, I lost against Tony in the first round, but I probably would have been defeated much earlier without Cheren's help!"

Volan would have forced a smile in this situation, but Bianca's attitude was so infectious that he found himself smiling before he could try. "That's good to know," he said kindly. "I wish you the best of luck on the rest of your journey."

"Thanks again, Volan!" Bianca sang, standing up. "I'm going to go tell Thrin that you're okay, okay? Seeeee ya~!" And with a wave, she was off.

So, Volan was alone with his thoughts once again. He saw Bianca take her original seat next to Iris and say something to Thrin, who was across from her. Then, the younger Gurei looked across the room and smiled directly at him, ensuring him that she had put the past behind her and was alright. He smiled back and gave Thrin a small wave, to which she replied in kind before turning back to the conversation.

Volan felt tempted to go over and join in. But there was still that melancholy feeling dragging him down, stopping any cheeriness from making it to the surface to be expressed to anyone else.

_Why?_ he thought for what felt like the hundredth time. Not knowing what this feeling was caused by was absolutely maddening.

He lay back on the sofa and contented himself with observing the group of fifteen. Stephan, it appeared, had just told a joke, and the others were now laughing uproariously. Volan smiled to himself – Stephan was a good, jolly soul, and Volan felt like he could consider the boisterous boy a good friend.

Cheren and Bianca were similar. They were polar opposites of one another, but strangely, Volan liked both of them for those very qualities. He respected Cheren and was amused by Bianca, and he couldn't help but admit that both of them were good people that would loyally stick together in any situation they faced. It reminded Volan of himself and Thrin, in a way.

Hugh was different, though. Volan didn't know what to think of him. He seemed to be a strong Trainer who cared about his Pokemon, and Volan admittedly had a bit of a soft spot for him ever since he and Thrin had helped the boy regain his beliefs in human-Pokemon cooperation. But Hugh was also rather negative from what Volan had seen so far of him.

Tony was another mystery. He was rather shy and uncomfortable around strangers, it seemed, like Volan was. The Miller boy also seemed like a good person, but his besotted obsession with Bug-types was rather tiresome.

Then there were the others, the ones Volan didn't know so well. Iris and Ash were both immature. Trip was rude and disrespectful, although he seemed to treat Volan well. Burgundy and Georgia were egotistic and full of hot air. Cilan was just plain annoying. Roxie, from what Volan had seen, was rough but nice, and rather pretty now that the Gurei boy got a good look at her. However, even her good looks couldn't compare to the sheer angelic beauty of –

Suddenly, Volan got the eerie feeling that he was being watched. He slowly turned his head around, and there she was – sitting next to him on the sofa with a soft smile on her face was his dear friend Caitlin.

His first thought was, _Arceus, she's even prettier up close…_

His second was, _Hey, my melancholia is gone. That's strange._

"So you're Volan after all," Caitlin said quietly. "I wondered if it was you when we met at the Nacrene City Museum."

Volan shifted slightly in his seat. "Well… yes, it's me. I never suspected that you were my old friend. You've changed."

Caitlin smiled again. "As have you," she replied.

There was a short silence before Volan spoke up again. "So you're a member of the Elite Four," he remarked. "I guess that you've achieved your dream of becoming a Psychic-type Pokemon Trainer?"

"It seems as though that's the case," the girl replied, bowing her head modestly. "But I have come to realize that my battling skills are in need of much improvement. I must continue my training if I am to become the graceful and elegant Trainer I wish to be."

Volan blushed slightly as her soft voice caressed his ears. "I… I think you're very elegant already," he complimented her, stammering a little.

Caitlin's smile faded, and she looked away. Her hair obscured Volan's view of her face.

"Wh-what did I say?" he asked, concerned that he had said something wrong.

After a second, Caitlin turned to face him again. Although her face was calm, Volan could sense that something wasn't right. "Its fine," she murmured, just loud enough for him to hear. "Thank you for the compliment."

Her voice trembled the slightest bit, betraying some inner emotion that Volan couldn't identify. He chose not to dwell on it, and instead focused on her heavy-lidded, emerald eyes, which were currently fixated on him. By Arceus, he had never realized how beautiful that shade of green was…

"How are you finding the tournament?" Caitlin suddenly asked him, jolting out of his wistful thoughts.

"I… sorry, I was just lost in thought," Volan apologized. "I really like it. The Club Battle Tournament, that is. My Pokemon are having a good time so far."

"I can imagine why they would be," the girl replied, her gentle smile coming back. "You are an excellent Trainer from what I have seen of you."

This time, there was nothing slight about Volan's blush. He instinctively looked away in order to hide it. "Th-thanks," he said tremulously, timidly turning his head to look back at her and adjusting his glasses. "Not nearly as good as you are, though,"

"Just give it time," Caitlin said. "I know you'll become just as great a Trainer as me someday."

Volan managed to get his face back to its normal hue. "Why is it you talk so formally now?" he inquired, changing the subject. "You never used to when we first met."

"I could say the same of you," Caitlin replied evenly.

The boy shrugged, searching for an answer. "Well… I think it's because I'm talking to you. You're such a formal talker that I can't help but try to be respectful of it. It's almost as if I'm talking to a princess."

_And looking at one,_ he thought privately.

Caitlin's smile broadened. "That's a very nice thing for you to say. I'm flattered."

That was when, perhaps because she was uncomfortable sitting in the same position, Caitlin moved slightly forward on the sofa, pressing her hand into the cushion beneath her to help make the movement smoother. But when she did, her hand didn't touch the cushion – instead, it touched Volan's.

Instantly, they both recoiled. "S-Sorry about that," Caitlin stammered.

"N-No, it's fine," Volan replied. His heart was racing, and another blush was rising in his face. "No trouble at all, I assure you."

An awkward silence descended, as the two couldn't think of anything more to say after that. But finally, Caitlin stood up and bowed slightly. "It was so nice seeing you again," she said. "I-I wish you luck in the tournament's semifinals."

Volan forced the color from his cheeks and smiled at her. "Thank you," he replied. "I've been looking forward to talking with you again for a long time."

Caitlin smiled back at him and bowed again in farewell, then left him. Even after she had disappeared, Volan found himself staring after her.

Inside, his emotions were cluttered and confused as several realizations hit him at once. Caitlin remembered him, and that made him happy. She still wanted to keep up their friendship, which relieved him. She was one of the most powerful Trainers in Unova now, which was a mind-boggling revelation. Volan felt overwhelmed as he tried to sort out his feelings.

But strangest of all was the melancholia that was slowly coming back to him, and the ache in his chest that he was all of a sudden aware of. _What's wrong with me?_ he asked himself worriedly. _Maybe I'm coming down with something…_

Then, the memory of Caitlin's hand momentarily meeting his own flashed through his mind again. It was so vivid that Volan swore he could still feel her delicate fingers moving over the back of his hand. He shifted uncomfortably and tried to push the image from his mind. _What's happening to me?_

Just then, Volan saw Iris sit down on the arm of the sofa beside him. He knew it was her even without flicking his eyes upward for a better look. "I see what you did there, you sly Lillipup," she teased.

Volan's baleful glare had more ice in it than a glacier. "What in the name of Giratina's shadow are you talking about?" he asked coldly.

Iris smirked at him and sat up straighter, folding her hands in her lap and obviously trying to imitate the girl who had sat beside him not even a minute ago. "'But I have come to realize that my battling skills are in need of much improvement. I must continue my training if I am to become the graceful and elegant Trainer I wish to be'," she twittered in a voice that sounded nothing like Caitlin's.

The purple-haired girl then switched back to her normal voice and kept talking. "And then I think you replied, 'I think you're very elegant already'?" she continued with a teasing grin. "Something tells me that wasn't just a compliment."

"Are you done mocking me?" Volan snapped.

"Not one bit," Iris shot back, her smirk never fading. "I see what's going on – _someone_ has a crush on Miss Elite Four, doesn't he?"

That remark came out of her mouth just as Volan was clearing his throat, and he almost choked on his own saliva. He coughed heavily several times and forced out a laugh. "Th-that's ridiculous!" he chuckled. "She's completely out of my league, if you'll pardon the pun."

Iris' sing-song voice irritated him something fierce. "What a kid! The heart wants what the heart wants, you know!" she said smugly. "Good luck, Volan. You're going to need it."

She then walked away, whistling merrily as Volan's glare became so wrathful that it could have burnt a hole through concrete. _Impudent little…_ he seethed, at a loss for words (or thoughts in this case).

His anger calmed rapidly, but it wasn't replaced by his usual calm demeanor. Instead, doubt took its place as a single, troubling thought pounded through his mind.

_Could Iris be right?_

-.-.-.-.-.

Bernice opened one eye and saw the Sandile – _Rudy, Master Volan named him Rudy,_ she corrected herself – settling down beside her. He didn't look at her, just tucked his legs underneath him and rested his head on the armchair's cushion, beady eyes gazing out at the other Pokemon as they playfully chased each other.

The Pidove closed her eye again and shifted slightly on her perch on the arm of the armchair. It was obvious that she didn't like the Desert Croc Pokemon, but there really was no sense in chasing him away from her. Master Volan liked him, so she might as well get used to his presence.

"Volan savin' you fer last?" Rudy asked, startling her. She opened her eyes and looked down at him. He hadn't moved, and wasn't looking at her.

"I guess so," she replied. "Why, what's it to you?"

Rudy didn't reply immediately. Instead, he took his time before finally saying, "I hope you win. I don't wanna see you thrown like a rag doll ta the ground again, y'know?"

The concerned tone of his voice made Bernice pause and look twice at him. "What do you mean, you don't want to…"

"I'm sorry fer puttin' you and Volan through all that grief four years back," the Ground-and-Dark-type interrupted. "That Trainer of mine was a bad sort, I tell you. Bit of a jerk, y'know?" He chuckled darkly.

Bernice kept staring at him. "Thanks, I guess," she said. "And apology accepted."

By the time Rudy finally turned his snout towards her, the Pidove had already closed her eyes again. The conversation was over.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Shorter chapter this time around – there was simply too much dialogue I had planned, so I couldn't fit it into the next chapter alongside Volan's semi-final battle.**

**I admit it – I was looking forward to this for a while. You have no idea how hard it was to not push things any farther. I know Volan probably hates me for prolonging his reunion with Caitlin until now, but here it is!**

**And also, Bernice gets to spend some bonding time with Rudy. It seems that she's willing to work with him for now, but will it last?**

**Please review, and I'll see you soon!**

**Chapter Question #23: Should Caitlin join Volan and Co., or should she only make a few appearances here and there? She ****_is_**** a member of the Elite Four, so she's probably a busy Beedrill, but maybe she's willing to forsake all that for Volan's sake, so to speak. Who knows?**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Rain Dance, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Bite, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Protect, Poison Tail, Attract**


	34. Battling the Bug-types! Volan vs Tony

**_Chapter 33 – Battling the Bug-types! Volan vs Tony!_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**After the excitement of the second round, Volan found himself afflicted by a strange melancholia. Bianca followed him away from the rest of the group and assured him that Thrin wasn't blaming him for her previous loss in the Club Battle Tournament. But soon after she had left, Volan's old friend Caitlin appeared to talk to him for the first time in four years. Their conversation was short and a little awkward, especially when Caitlin's hand accidentally made contact with his. As it turned out, Iris heard every word and teased Volan after the other girl had left. Even as Volan started to question his relationship with Caitlin, Bernice and Rudy had a short talk of their own that ended with the Pidove forgiving Rudy for the devastating loss he had caused her four years ago.**

-.-.-.-.-.

"_Hello, and welcome to the semifinal round of the Club Battle Tournament!_" announced Don George."_I hope yer all rested, 'cause the most excitin' part has yet to come. As you can see there up on the screen, we still have four Trainers left in this here competition. But soon, we'll only have one, and that one will win the Club Battle Tournament!_"

The crowd cheered, and Volan looked up at the screen across the stadium. Indeed, there were only four combatants left – everyone else had been knocked out of the competition. The faces of Volan, Tony, Trip, and Roxie were displayed on the screen, but whom would be paired up with whom for this semifinal match?

"_Please, spectators, turn your attention to the big screen!_" called the assistant commentator. All the hundreds of people in the stadium did so as the four cards representing the competitors began to whirl as if caught in a cyclone. Volan held his breath, waiting to see who he would be battling next.

The screen flashed white for a split second, and when the light faded, the matchup pairs were displayed for all to see. Volan and Bernice both looked at the screen, eyeing their displayed opponent with interest.

"_And there we have it,_" Don George said decisively. "_Our first battle will be between Volantes and Tony, and the second will take place with Trip and Roxie. Now, if the first pair would head on to the battlefield, we can get this show on the road._"

Volan and Tony both stood up, meeting each others' eyes determinedly. "Let's pick up where we left off in Burgh's Gym," said Tony.

"You mean where Bernice and I were pummeling you and Lucky?" Volan replied, smirking. "Sure, I can do that."

Tony grinned back and turned around, saying over his shoulder, "See you in the arena." And then he walked away, with Lucky fluttering just behind him.

"Come on, Bernice," Volan murmured, heading off in the opposite direction.

"Good luck," Thrin called after him, and he gave her a nod and smile.

When Volan had left the stands behind him and was heading down the hall leading to the battlefield, there was a shimmer in the air as Victini appeared. "Tini!" he squeaked, somersaulting in midair and grinning widely.

"I was wondering where you had gone," Volan replied. "You're going to cheer us on?"

"Victini!" chirped the pixie-like Pokemon, giving him a victory pose and a wink.

The little creature's attitude was infectious, and Volan found himself smiling again. It was kind of hard to believe such a small, happy-go-lucky Pokemon was a Legendary.

Volan continued walking down the hallway, Bernice and Victini in tow. When he approached the doorway, the Victory Pokemon disappeared once more into thin air.

-.-.-.-.-.

"_On my left is Volantes, a definite crowd favorite from his time here in Virbank City. He trains a variety of unique Pokemon and is definitely someone that shouldn't be underestimated. Give this Trainer prodigy a round of applause, folks!_"

Volan stepped into his position on the battlefield as the crowd burst into cheers. Bernice fluttered her wings as she lifted off her perch and circled him a few times before lighting down on his other shoulder.

"_And his opponent is a Trainer equally as impressive,_" continued Don George. "_Straight from the faraway Kanto region and with a passion fer Bug-types, give it up fer the King of Insects, Tony!_"

The crowd roared even more loudly than when they had cheered on Volan. "Bug Catchers" were usually considered to be weaklings by the general public, and someone who not only expressed his love of insects so proudly, but also used them to great effect in tournaments such as this, was definitely someone to be impressed by.

The referee waved his checkered flags in the air, signaling for them to start the battle. Both of them hurled their Poke Balls in unison, unleashing their Pokemon. Volan released Rudy, and Tony released a Sewaddle with an unusually menacing look on its face.

"Dile!" growled Rudy, opening his jaws wide. He looked especially intimidating with that missing tooth of his.

"Waddo," muttered the Sewaddle, sticking its tongue out.

Tony shouted out an order before Volan could. "Clover, use Bug Bite!" he cried.

The Sewaddle, apparently named Clover, yawned loudly before half-heartedly lunging at Rudy. Without waiting for a command from Volan, the Ground-and-Dark-type dodged out of the way at the last second, and Clover hit the ground face-first.

"Now, Rudy! Use Bite!" shouted Volan.

"Sandile! _Take this!_" cried Rudy, scuttling after Clover and pouncing on her. His jaws clamped around her caterpillar-like body, and she shrieked in pain whilst thrashing around.

"Clover, Struggle Bug!" Tony commanded.

"Wad… _Idiot…_" muttered Clover as her body became encased in a red aura. Rudy hissed with pain and released her, throwing her across the battlefield. She bounced across the ground with a series of dull thuds and glared daggers at Rudy.

"Atta girl! Now use Bug Bite again!" called Tony.

Clover eyed her Trainer with distaste before squirming forward to attack Rudy. When she reached him, she jumped and clamped her mandibles around his tail.

"Shake her off, then Dig!" said Volan.

Rudy did a quick one-eighty degree spin, succeeding in flinging Clover off of his tail. As the Bug-and-Grass-type got up, he clawed at the ground and rapidly burrowed through the dirt, vanishing in just a few seconds.

"Stay aware, Clover!" Tony shouted to the Sewaddle, who pretended to ignore him.

There were a few moments that ensued in which all was quiet and nothing happened. But then, Volan's eyes picked out a small hill of cracked earth rising up from the battlefield just behind Clover. He grinned with anticipation.

But Tony saw it as well. "Behind you, Clover! Use Bug Bite!" he cried.

"Wado wado!" said Clover, leaping forward and just avoiding Rudy's lunge. She then turned right around and bit down on his snout, provoking a cry of pain from the Desert Croc Pokemon.

"Get her off with Sand Tomb!" Volan commanded.

Rudy opened his jaws and exhaled a whirlwind of sand that smashed into Clover as she hung in front of his muzzle. The Sewing Pokemon stubbornly bit down and hung on despite the force of the sand, but she was eventually torn away and hurled a fair distance across the ground.

"Thunder Fang!" Volan said next, taking advantage of Clover's momentary helplessness.

Rudy charged forward, his fangs sparking with electricity as he closed in on the Sewaddle, who was struggling to her stubby feet.

Tony, however, was undeterred and kept calm. "String Shot, Clover!" he cried.

"Wado!" chirped Clover, spraying out a tangle of threads at the steadily-advancing Rudy. With a whiplash-like sound, the tendrils curled around his snout and forced his jaws shut with a *snap*. Instantly, the electricity around his fangs shorted out with a small flash of light.

"Now throw him!" Tony yelled.

"Stand your ground, Rudy!" Volan called out.

Clover yanked on the threads, trying to hurl Rudy over her shoulder. But the Sandile held fast, digging in his heels and clutching the ground with his claws. He yanked his snout back, managing to pull Clover a short distance before she steadied herself. It was clear that she couldn't get a footing on the ground as well as Rudy could.

Volan smirked at how Tony's plan had backfired. "Throw Clover away," he told Rudy.

"Dile!" the Desert Croc growled, and he reared his head back and pulled with all his might. Clover then came sailing through the air toward him with a panicked cry.

"_Those're some right powerful neck muscles Volantes' Sandile's got,_" remarked Don George. "_It's really impressive seein' how it's managed to toss a Pokemon almost its own size!_"

"Sand Tomb, Rudy!" Volan ordered.

The Sandile forced his jaws open, snapping the strings that bound them shut, and then exhaled a burst of sand at Clover. It hit her in midair, sending her spiraling back through the air and down to Tony's feet.

"Can you get up, Clover?" Volan heard the other boy ask.

Clover gave her Trainer a baleful look before staggering back onto the battlefield.

"Bite!" cried Volan.

"String Shot!" retorted Tony.

Even as Rudy charged at Clover, his mouth open and his fangs flashing in the light, the Bug-and-Grass-type spat a stream of silk at him. This time, however, the String Shot didn't clamp his jaws shut – instead, it formed thick braces of string that forced them _open_!

"Aye?!" squeaked Rudy. He was trying to talk, but failing since he couldn't move his mouth. "Ayyye!"

"Awesome work, Clover!" cheered Tony. "Now use Air Slash!"

"Waaaaaddo!" shrieked Clover, her hood glowing a bright blue. She shook her head left and right, tossing spinning blades of wind at the helpless Rudy.

"Try to use Dig!" said Volan, feeling a sudden flash of panic.

"Aye-aye!" mumbled Rudy through the blockage in his mouth. He swiftly clawed at the dirt beneath his feet, but his muzzle was forced so wide open, it couldn't fit through the hole he was digging! The Air Slashes connected with his belly and flanks all at once, hurling him across the ground.

"_Ouch!_" exclaimed the assistant commentator. "_That has got to hurt!_"

"Rudy, are you alright?" Volan asked worriedly. Even Bernice had a concerned look in her eye.

"Aaayyye…" Rudy muttered, getting to his feet painfully. Volan noticed that he was bleeding slightly where the Air Slashes had hit him.

"Your Sandile won't be able to do much with his jaws stuck like that!" Tony called out to Volan.

The Gurei boy just smiled. "Too bad he knows more than biting attacks," he replied. "Rudy, Sand Tomb!"

Rudy was delighted to receive an order that he could actually successfully carry out. "Aye!" he cried, blasting Clover again with sand.

"Waaaad…" hissed the Sewing Pokemon, holding her ground through the storm of sand. When it ended, she still stood strong, although her unceasing death stare faltered a little.

"String Shot into Bug Bite!" shouted Tony.

Clover instantly spat a single string of silk at Rudy, which stuck to the back of his head even as he tried to twist himself out of the way. The Sewaddle then reeled herself in at an incredible speed, flying just over the ground toward Rudy with a comical whizzing sound. She slammed into him, sending them both tumbling end over end, and clamped down with her mandibles and her stubby feet.

"Rudy, shake her off!" Volan cried.

If it hadn't been one of his Pokemon, the Gurei boy would have found the situation hilarious. The Desert Croc writhed and bucked like a Tauros, shaking his body every which way and trying to dislodge his stubborn rider. Clover held fast even when Rudy jumped into the air and slammed down back-first.

But suddenly, even as Rudy desperately thrashed every muscle in his body, including those in his jaws, his teeth all began to glow with bright light and extend to twice their length. The hardened silk that held his mouth open shattered with the slightest application of strength.

"DIIIIILE!" screeched Rudy, finally succeeding in flinging Clover off of him. His glowing fangs left temporary trails of light behind as he swung his head around to face the Sewaddle once more.

"Was that… Crunch?" asked Volan dazedly.

"Dile!" affirmed Rudy. "_Bingo!_"

"Waddo," growled Clover. "_Lucky reptile…_"

Volan's grin was so wide that it mimicked the expression on Rudy's face. "Alright, Rudy, let's turn this around. Use Crunch again!"

The Desert Croc lunged forward, his fangs extending once more and flashing a blinding white. It was all Clover could do to dodge.

"Bug Bite!" cried Tony, trying to get back on top of things.

It was Clover's turn to lunge forward, and Rudy was too slow to dodge. Her mandibles clamped down on his leg this time, too far back for him to twist his head around to bite back or blast her off with Sand Tomb. Volan audibly growled and clenched his teeth together in frustration, when suddenly, an idea struck him. He just hoped it would work the way he wanted it to.

"Rudy, use Sand Tomb on the ground! And make it full power!" the Gurei boy ordered.

The Sandile was perplexed, but he was willing to place his trust in his master. He sucked in a deep breath and released a sandy whirlwind from his jaws, aiming it down at the ground. Immediately, he and Clover began to spiral into the air, reaching a stunning height before the Sand Tomb lost strength.

"Now tuck and roll!" Volan shouted up to him.

Even as the Sand Tomb disappeared and the grains of sand floated down to earth, Rudy curled up and began to flip himself over and over in the air as he began to fall back down with them. He spun dizzyingly with each flip, and after ten revolutions, Clover couldn't take it any longer. She detached from his leg halfway down, eyes rolling with dizziness, and hit the ground softly.

Rudy landed on his feet and instantly turned toward the Bug-and-Grass-type, who was staggering to her feet and trying to make the world stop whirling around her. "San Sandile!" he cried.

Volan smirked. "Right with you, pal," he murmured. "Use Thunder Fang!"

The Ground-and-Dark-type's jaws began to fizzle with intense electricity, and yellow sparks danced around inside. He galloped across the battlefield with astounding speed for such a little Pokemon, rapidly closing in on Clover.

"String Shot!" yelled Tony.

"Waddo wa!" shrieked Clover, squeezing her eyes shut and spraying out threads in random directions. Most of them hit the ground in a tangle, where they snagged Rudy like a Spinarak's web and trapped him in place.

"Pull her toward you!" commanded Volan coolly, confident that this would work.

"Sandile!" growled Rudy, momentarily dispelling the electricity from his mouth and clamping down on the silk. He gave a powerful yank by twisting his head, and sent the much-lighter Clover flying toward him yet again.

Volan didn't even have to tell Rudy to attack – as soon as she came close, he released the silk, readied a Thunder Fang, and waited for Clover to fall the last few inches right into his mouth. The second she did, he crunched down with all of his strength.

The Thunder Fang was so powerful that it ravaged Clover's body, filling her with terrible volts of electricity. A loud buzzing sound occurred, and the battlefield was filled with bright yellow light. The threads that entangled the two Pokemon conducted the electricity so that both were enveloped in this intense web of light. Clover screeched loudly and twisted futilely in Rudy's grasp.

Finally, the electricity died down, and the light vanished. The sticky silken strands sifted into soot where they stood (pardon the alliteration), and Rudy released Clover from his mouth. Her leaf-cloaked form was charred almost completely black. "Waaaaa…" she moaned softly.

"_That was a truly magnificent battle indeed!_" Don George announced. "_Tony and his Sewaddle are unable to continue battling. And that means that Volantes will be moving on to the final round of this here Club Battle Tournament!_"

Right on that cue, the crowd cheered and applauded, filling the stadium with the celebratory din. Volan smiled modestly and knelt down to greet Rudy, who was overjoyed and definitely excited to have won.

"Sandile san!" he said enthusiastically, leaping onto Volan's leg and propping himself up on his master's knee. "_That was freakin' awesome!_"

"Dooove Pidoooove," commented Bernice, flicking her wings casually. "_It wasn't bad._"

"You were great out there, Rudy," Volan replied. "Personally, I don't know why your Trainer abandoned you."

Rudy's eyes widened. How had Master Volan known that?

Volan smiled at his Pokemon's surprise. "It wasn't that hard to figure out," he explained. "But it doesn't matter now. I think you did an amazing job."

Now Rudy beamed with pride and gratitude for his Trainer's affection. He hadn't had a master that complimented him like that before, and it felt great!

The Gurei boy recalled the Sandile into his Poke Ball and stood up, just in time to see Tony do the same with Clover and then walk up to him uncomfortably.

"Um… that was some battle, I guess," Tony said awkwardly, clearly no good in situations like this.

"It was certainly one to remember," Volan agreed flatly.

Almost as if ashamed, the Miller boy rubbed the back of his head and kicked at the dirt behind him with his foot. "I'm going to need to train more if I want to be the world's greatest Bug-type Pokemon master," he murmured, almost to himself.

Volan didn't know what made him say it, but the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Training's a part of being a Trainer. We're never done training and bonding with our Pokemon. When you think about it, even the biggest goals are easy compared to the lifetime commitment we've made."

Now Tony looked up at Volan and smiled slightly. "Thanks," he said.

"Don't mention it," Volan replied, pushing his glasses farther up his nose.

The two Trainers shook hands and left the battlefield. As they walked away, Lucky gave a curt nod to Bernice in farewell. "Freeh freeeeeh," she chirped. "_Good luck._"

"Dooooove," Bernice replied. "_And to you as well._"

Even as Volan exited the battlefield and retreated into the relative coolness of the hallway, he could hear Don George booming into his microphone – "_And now we have the second of our two semifinal matches. It'll be Virbank City's own Gym Leader Roxie versus Trip from Nuvema Town. Will the two competitors please make their way down into the arena so we can get started?_"

Volan wondered who would come out on top. He supposed that he'd have to carefully observe both combatants and study their battling styles, since he didn't know which one he would be facing. Roxie was a Gym Leader, but he also knew that Trip was no pushover from his brief battle with him in Nacrene City. He quickly considered the phrase "picking your poison", but rejected it since he didn't actually have a choice in this matter.

He was so caught up in these thoughts of his that he bumped into someone accidentally. Stumbling, Volan caught his balance and looked up to see Roxie herself. "Sorry about that," he apologized.

"Naw, it's cool," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "That was some intense battle you fought out there. You excited for the finals?"

"I wouldn't be a good Trainer if I wasn't," Volan chuckled in response. "Good luck out there. I can tell you from experience that Trip's pretty tough. My Garbodor just managed to beat his Servine last time we battled."

Roxie considered that. "Thanks, Volan," she said after a moment. "That'll help. And… cheer me on, would you?" she added almost hopefully.

Volan gave her a nod. "Break a leg," he said, beginning to walk away.

Roxie quickly patted him on the shoulder – her touch was hesitant and almost delicate – before dashing off in the opposite direction.

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan knew he shouldn't be picking sides, but he couldn't help but feel almost disappointed that Roxie lost. It came right down to the wire too – both her and Trip's Pokemon managed to beat down the other really badly. But in the end, it was Trip who gave the order that finished it all, and his Timburr sent her Arbok flying into a wall with a Dynamicpunch attack and a sickening crunch of scales on concrete.

His sister turned to him concernedly. "You think you can handle Trip?" she asked, as Roxie slumped and walked dejectedly off of the battlefield. "You didn't even beat him before, remember?"

Volan nodded. "Right," he replied, "but I didn't lose, either. As long as he doesn't use… F-Frillish, I'll be fine."

Thrin thought about that for a second or two, then turned to Bernice. "You're going to do your master proud no matter what, I know," she said, her words coming out fierce with encouragement.

"Pidoooooove! Dove doooooove!" trilled Volan's beloved Starter and best friend. "_Just you wait! We'll show him what real power is!_"

Volan didn't understand the words, but he knew what Bernice was getting at, and smiled at her all the same.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Bad-tempered Sewaddle is bad-tempered. (Is that the meme?)**

**So, Volan wins again! Sorry, Tony… but this means that Volan only has one opponent left to conquer – Unova's single reigning pain-in-the-arse, Trip! Last time they fought, the battle ended in a tie, but which one of them will prevail this time?**

**Tony: "Review, please!"**

**Rudy: "Aye-aye!"**

**Chapter Question #24: Who do you think will win – Volan or Trip? Answer after you review, if you may!**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Pidove, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Quick Attack, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Rain Dance, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Crunch, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Protect, Poison Tail, Attract**


	35. Mutual Dislike! Volan Against Trip!

**_Chapter 34 – Mutual Dislike! Volan Against Trip!_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**The semifinal round of the Club Battle Tournament got underway the morning after the round before, and was kicked off by a battle between Volan and Tony! Volan used Rudy, and Tony used a grumpy-looking Sewaddle named Clover. Both Pokemon battled fiercely, almost neck-and-neck from the way the battle was see-sawing back and forth. But after Clover sealed Rudy's jaws with String Shot, he managed to learn Crunch and break free! Then he finished the job with Thunder Fang, letting Volan advance to the finals! However, despite Volan's advice and encouragement, Roxie lost in the following match against Trip, meaning that Volan and Bernice will be battling their toughest foe yet.**

-.-.-.-.-.

"Your Pokemon are healthy and fighting fit again, Volantes!" sang Nurse Joy as her Audino wheeled in a cart with three Poke Balls on it. "They're all fully rested and recovered from their previous battles in the tournament!"

"Thank you," Volan replied, giving the nurse a smile before taking his Pokemon back. An hour ago, he had handed Rickie, Grunge, and Rudy over to Nurse Joy, in order for their wounds to be healed and for their fatigue to ebb away.

He, Thrin, and Stephan were visiting Virbank City's Pokemon Center this afternoon. They had eaten a filling lunch while they waited for Nurse Joy and Audino to finish with their Pokemon. And now, they were preparing to head back to the stadium to reclaim their seats before the final battle between Volan and Trip.

"You ready for this?" Thrin asked, a tremor in her voice betraying her concern. "What if he uses Frillish? You'll be too scared to even move!"

Volan tried to shrug, but it ended up more like a shiver. "I don't know," he replied. "I've been thinking about that for a while. Everyone needs to face their fears sooner or later – perhaps today is my day."

"Don't worry," Stephan said kindly, clapping Volan on the back. "It doesn't matter to us whether you win or lose. Just do your best!"

His words were far from comforting to Volan. For indeed, the Gurei boy knew something he didn't – if Bernice lost, and he was going to use Bernice no matter what, then it would crush her. After that dreadful day four years ago, it had taken the poor bird Pokemon a full two weeks to recover from the shame of letting her master down. Countless times, Volan had told her that he was proud of her regardless, and it had still done almost nothing to help.

These thoughts that swirled in his head like a mob of Murkrow were what caused Volan to turn his head and look Bernice in the eye. "You might lose," he told her now. "Trip's tough, probably tougher than anyone we've faced before. Are you absolutely certain that you want to battle in front of a live audience, knowing that you might lose in front of so many witnesses?"

It took Bernice a couple of uncertain seconds to answer. "Pidooooove," she cooed affirmatively. She nodded her head once, making her answer final.

"If that's the case," Volan continued cautiously, "then I just want you to know that even if you lose, I'll be proud of you. You don't have to worry about letting me down. Even if Trip's Pokemon knocks you out in one attack, I'll be satisfied with that. If you lose, we'll just train harder for next time. Alright?"

"Dooooove!" warbled Bernice, raising a wing in a jaunty salute.

Volan's fear and worry dissolved at her enthusiasm, and he laughed. Thrin and Stephan laughed as well, and they both patted her head gently.

"We'll all be rooting for you, Bernice," Thrin said encouragingly.

"Even if you get knocked out, we're behind you one hundred-and-ten percent," Stephan added.

With the decision made and nothing more to wait for, the group made their way out the sliding doors of the Pokemon Center and headed back to the stadium. There was a battle to be fought, and only time would tell who would be cheered in victory and who would slink away in defeat.

Volan was determined that he would not be the latter. Bernice's self-esteem depended on it.

-.-.-.-.-.

At the appointed time, with Don George ready to announce the start of the battle at any second, a surprising number of people hadn't yet made it to their seats. Volan was fidgeting in his seat on one of the armchairs in the lobby, nervously awaiting the call to step into the arena. For him, the wait was like the last few seconds in the hospital's waiting room before getting called for surgery. The suspense was killing him.

"You and Bernice will be amazing out there," Iris said kindly. "Win or lose, you'll put on a spectacular show!"

"Just do what comes naturally," Cilan advised. "The best recipes in history came to be because the chefs thought in the moment and improvised!"

Roxie, who was sitting beside Volan, chimed in next. "I'm sure you'll rock, Volan. You too, Bernice."

Volan gave her a sidelong glance, and she quickly looked away for whatever reason.

He felt like he couldn't take any more advice. It was a _Pokemon battle,_ for Arceus' sake. Why were they treating it like it was a court summons, or his first date, or something?

The final straw came when Ash opened his mouth. Volan stood up before he could say anything and waved them all off. "Would you all get off my case?!" he demanded. "I appreciate the encouragement, but you're really making too big of a deal out of this."

Iris muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "What a little kid," under her breath. Volan scalded her with a glare before walking away from them a few paces.

"Seriously, all of you," he told them collectively. "I'm glad to see you're all on my side, but you're placing way too much pressure on me. Get to your seats so you won't miss anything, alright? Bernice and I will be fine."

Everyone nodded respectfully and left, some of them giving little waves or nods of farewell. Thrin hugged him briefly before walking off behind the rest.

Finally, Volan was alone. He sighed in relief before heading toward the hallway that would take him onto the battlefield. "You ready, Bernice?" he asked quietly.

"Pidoooooove!" she warbled confidently from her usual perch. "_Ready as I'll ever be!_"

Right on cue, Victini appeared in a flash of color. "Tini!" he squeaked, giving Volan a thumbs-up and a cute grin.

"Glad to see you're still with me," the Gurei boy said, gently tickling the Legendary under the chin. Victini giggled and somersaulted away from him before twirling onto his other shoulder and vanishing again.

Volan took a deep breath and, hearing Don George's booming, amplified voice echoing down the hall, proceeded into the stadium.

-.-.-.-.-.

"_Here we are, folks, the final round of the Club Battle Tournament!_" Don George announced. "_This final battle promises to be of epic proportions as two skilled Trainers clash in a contest to see which one of 'em is the better and stronger Trainer. In one corner is Volantes from Lacunosa Town, and in the other is Trip from Nuvema Town. Give 'em both a big round of applause, folks!_"

The crowd roared, the loudest it had ever done so, as Volan and Trip both walked out onto their respective ends of the battlefield. They kept walking until they were face-to-face in the center of the arena, and they silently shook hands.

"I hope you don't disappoint me," Trip stated, his mouth tweaking upwards slightly at the edges. "I know you're a strong opponent with a lot of potential from our match in Nacrene City. I want to see that you actually have a chance of achieving that potential."

The ice in Volan's gaze melted a little as he mimicked Trip's smirk. But he said nothing. There was nothing to be gained in taunting or boasting to his opponent. Instead, he remained quiet and broke the handshake. The two Trainers turned away from each other and walked back to their positions.

"Trainers, release your Pokemon!" ordered the referee.

"Bernice, I'm counting on you, old friend," Volan murmured, reaching back with his arm and letting his hand hover just in front of her.

"Dove doooooove!" she trilled, hopping onto his hand. Her talons wrapped around his fingers and vice versa. He held her out like a falconer would a trained Staraptor, and with a single shake of his hand, threw her into the air. The Pidove flew high above the battlefield, circled above her master twice, and then descended onto her position on the field.

Trip gave no indication that the display impressed or intimidated him. His face remained stoic as he pulled out a Poke Ball. "Go, my Gurdurr!" he cried, hurling the capsule.

In a flash of light, the Pokemon appeared. It was tall and bulky, pinched at the waist but heavily muscled in the upper body. Its skin was dull grey and was dotted by pink, vein-like patterns. It was an intimidating creature despite the bright red, spherical nose that sat smack in the middle of its face. "Gurdurr!" it said confidently, slamming its metal girder on the ground with a heavy thud.

Volan's Pokedex was out and ready the instant the creature appeared. "**Gurdurr, the Muscular Pokemon, and the evolved form of Timburr. These Pokemon like showing off their muscles to their friends, usually when they are not hard at work. They carry steel beams to help them become stronger. A group of wrestlers cannot make a Gurdurr budge. This specimen is male and possesses the Sheer Force ability. His attacks are Dynamicpunch, Strength, Smack Down, and Bulk Up.**"

The Gurei boy's eyes narrowed even as he began to feel worried. "When did his Timburr evolve?" he asked himself. "I watched his every battle, so it couldn't have evolved then… unless he did some last-minute training. Of course, that would have to be it…"

Volan sighed and put away his Pokedex. There was nothing he could do about this unexpected turn of events, so he would just have to work with it. "You can do this, Bernice," he said quietly, almost to himself. But the Pidove heard him, and drew strength from his faith in her.

"_So Volantes is usin' his Pidove, and Trip's usin' his Gurdurr,_" Don George stated. "_A Flyin'-type versus a Fightin'-type. This could get pretty interestin'._"

"_These two have worked hard to get to the finals,_" added the assistant commentator. "_It'll definitely be exciting watching these two champions clash – almost as, if not more, exciting than the kickoff match between Shauntal and Caitlin!_"

Involuntarily, Volan's ears caught the name. _Caitlin…_ he thought. _She's watching me now, I'm sure of it. I have to show her how powerful we are, how strong the bond is between Bernice and I. I can't lose now!_

The thought was like fire in his mind, inflaming his brain and filling it with that single thought. He became more alert, his every sense going into overdrive. _I can't lose now!_

The referee raised his checkered flags, paused for a brief moment, and then slashed downwards with them. "Let the battle begin!" he cried.

Volan's mouth was running before Trip could even blink. "Bernice, go straight in with Quick Attack!"

"DOOOOOVE!" warbled Bernice shrilly, absorbing white light from around her and blasting forward at Gurdurr. It all happened so quickly that Trip was caught off guard for a split second.

But he recovered quickly and ordered, "Gurdurr, smack it away with Strength!"

"Durr!" replied the Fighting-type, heaving his girder over his shoulder with some effort. When Bernice flew close enough, he swung it like a metallic baseball bat, ready to hit her out of the ballpark.

But Volan was ready for such a maneuver. It was as if his mental and Bernice's physical reflexes had become one and the same. "Accelerate and dodge!" he cried.

The heavy metal girder flew through the air right toward Bernice. It looked as if it were about to hit her when she suddenly increased her speed and ducked underneath it, allowing her free passage into Gurdurr's midsection. The impact was so great that Volan could hear it from his position.

"Gur!" gasped the Fighting-type, landing heavily on the ground while his beam landed, in turn, on top of him. With a mighty shove, he pushed the metal off of him and sprang to his feet.

"Gurdurr, use Strength again, and go on the offensive!" commanded Trip.

This time, Gurdurr heaved his girder into a ready position and then charged at Bernice, who had flown back in front of Volan. But almost the instant she did, she was forced to move as the steel beam slashed through the air toward her. Once again, it missed, but this time the miss was much narrower.

"Again, Gurdurr!" shouted Trip.

"Aim for his feet with Air Cutter!" Volan retorted.

Even as the Muscular Pokemon charged forward once more with his girder at the ready, Bernice swooped in and gave her now-glowing wings a single flap, launching a devastating Air Cutter at the ground in front of him. Not only was the attack super-effective, but it flung Gurdurr's legs out from underneath him, causing him to fall flat on his big red nose.

"Air Cutter again!" said Volan, mercilessly.

"Dodge it, Gurdurr!" Trip yelled desperately.

Bernice snapped her wings forward again, sending another blade of wind streaking toward Gurdurr. He quickly rolled to the side and let it explode against the ground, then jumped to his feet and retrieved his girder.

"Fly up and prepare for another Air Cutter," Volan called to Bernice, who thusly rose in flight with just a few strong flaps.

"Vault up there and use Dynamicpunch!" cried Trip.

"Gur gur, Gurdurr!" grunted the carnie-like Pokemon. He planted his girder into the ground after getting a running start, and – to Volan's wide-eyed shock – literally pole vaulted up toward Bernice! Gurdurr let go of the beam at the height of his jump and threw his fist back with a yell as it started to glow with tremendous power.

Volan knew that Dynamicpunch was a very risky move with a lot of power but low accuracy. All he needed to do was throw Gurdurr off a little bit. "Bernice, aim an Air Cutter at his stomach!" he cried.

"Pi-Pidooove!" chirped Bernice, sending a wind current at Gurdurr with a flap of her wings.

Gurdurr, suspended in the air as he was, could just barely twist himself out of the way of the Air Cutter. But in doing that, he completely threw off his aim, and the Dynamicpunch sailed harmlessly past the Pidove. He began to fall, but managed to catch the end of his girder just before he crashed into the ground.

"Now Quick Attack!" ordered Volan, and Bernice sped down toward Gurdurr like a blazing white arrow, too fast for Trip to possibly shout out an order in time for Gurdurr to execute it.

But as it turned out, an order wasn't necessary. Gurdurr acted on reflex, squeezing his eyes shut and randomly swinging his girder. It smashed into Bernice just as she got close, sending her tumbling through the air across the stadium. Feathers trailed behind her and floated lazily to the ground as the Pidove recovered her flight, shaking her head and blinking back the stars that danced on the edges of her vision.

"Bernice, are you alright?" Volan asked her, eyes wide. The solid thud that had occurred on impact had set his heart to racing. But he needn't have worried – Bernice was tougher than even he knew. The Normal-and-Flying-type looked back at him and gave him a confident nod.

"Dooooove," she cooed quietly. "_I'm fine. Now let's come back with twice the strength._"

Volan smiled, not knowing the words but understanding what she meant. "Then let's give Gurdurr a Quick Attack-Air Cutter combo!"

Bernice blazed toward Gurdurr in a flash of white light, almost too fast for the eye to follow. Trip was calm as he ordered Gurdurr to defend himself. The Fighting-type readied his steel beam, took aim, and…

… flew through the air as an Air Cutter, fired from Bernice's wings the second she stopped short of the girder, hit him square in the chest. "Duuuurrrrr!" he yelled helplessly as he sailed toward a meeting with the ground.

And it was far more painful than it looked, Gurdurr could assure you.

"Gurdurr, get up!" snapped Trip. "Are you going to let a little bird beat you now?"

"Durr…" the Muscular Pokemon growled as he staggered to his feet and retrieved his beam. He was caught between a rock and a feathery place, and he didn't know which one he dreaded facing more.

Oblivious to Gurdurr's predicament, Volan shouted another order. "Quick Attack one more time, and make sure he stays down!"

"Pidooooove!" trilled Bernice as she flew down at amazing speed, skimming the ground and throwing up clouds of dust in her wake, on a certain collision course with Gurdurr's stomach.

"Smack Down, Gurdurr!" yelled Trip.

"Durr!" grunted Gurdurr, heaving his metal beam over his shoulder and bringing it down toward the ground with devastating power. The beam smashed into Bernice's back, and she dropped like a rock into the dirt, sending a curtain of dust into the air around her.

Volan drew a sharp breath through his teeth. Smack Down was a Rock-type move, and with Gurdurr's considerable strength backing it up, it would have certainly dealt a truckload of damage to Bernice's comparatively frail body. "Please get up… please get up…" he murmured to himself.

"Gurr hurr hurr! _What a weakling!_" laughed Gurdurr, planting his beam on the ground beside him and guffawing loudly. Trip didn't laugh, but he had this smug look on his face that made Volan want to push him into Sharpedo-infested waters.

_Sharpedo don't actually eat humans,_ his brain instantly reminded him.

_You know what I meant,_ Volan thought back.

Meanwhile, the seconds ticked, and there was no sign of movement.

But then, the clouds of dust that still obscured the impact site suddenly shifted. Bernice rose from the dirt with a vengeance, a defiant snarl on her beak and a raging fire in her eyes. She spread her tattered wings and sent a glare Gurdurr's way that would have killed him were it any fiercer.

"Dooooove! Pidoooove, DOOOOOVE!" she screeched. "_Master Volan and I ARE NOT WEAKLINGS!_"

Suddenly, the stadium grew dark. Bernice's dirty feathers began to shine with a new radiance. The ordinary-looking city bird, known by most people as a mere Rattata with wings, suddenly became extraordinary as blue light radiated from her every feather. Rings of this same blue light began to swirl around her, and she rose into the air without needing to flap.

Volan's eyes reflected the shining beacon of light that his treasured Starter had become. He gazed in utter awe as her neck stretched, her tail spread out, and her wings grew to a magnificent length. His mouth was frozen in a slight gape, so he couldn't possibly say even a single word to express what he was feeling.

Slowly, the blinding blue light began to fade. Light returned to the stadium and washed over Bernice's dull grey feathers, giving them a stunning gloss. But now, her feathers were punctuated by black bands, her legs were long and adorned with fearsome talons, and a sleek black ruff now spread around her neck. She was Bernice, and at the same time, she wasn't Bernice.

"Trrrrraaanquill!" she decreed, opening her hooked yellow beak and announcing her rebirth in her new squawk of a voice.

"_In-CRED-ible!_" announced the assistant commentator. "_Volantes' Pidove has evolved into Tranquill!_"

"_Things are heatin' up fer sure!_" replied Don George, his voice becoming tight with emotion. "_It's s-so b-beautiful…!_" Because he was using a microphone, the entire crowd heard the burly man sniffle and begin to weep with happiness.

Trembling, Volan shakily got out his Pokedex. And although his eyes read the information that was displayed, his dumbfounded mind could hardly process it. "**Tranquill, the Wild Pigeon Pokemon. This Pokemon has stunning navigational abilities, being able to return to its Trainer after a journey of any length and time. They symbolize peace and prosperity, and form great communal nests in forests where there is no war or anarchy. This young female has the Big Pecks ability. She has forgotten Quick Attack upon evolution and now knows Aerial Ace.**"

Volan couldn't believe it. He stared in awe and complete shock at the beautiful and magnificent bird Pokemon that now floated majestically in the air before him.

Bernice turned around and looked at him skeptically. "Trrranquill," she said. "_If you're done staring at me…_"

Volan shook himself out of his shock, finally allowing his joy and pride to well up from inside of him. A wobbly grin spread across his face even as tears of happiness slipped down his cheeks, one after the other. "Th-that was the m-most amazing thing I-I've ever…" he whispered, then dropped the sentence with a delighted sniffle.

The Gurei boy took off his glasses and wiped away the tears with a single movement of his arm. He put them back on even as his grin turned steady and confident. _I'm not going to lose now!_

"Alright, Bernice!" cried Volan, throwing himself back into the battle. "Show them what's what with Aerial Ace!"

"TRRRANQUILL!" shrieked Bernice, surrounding herself with a nimbus of glowing streaks. She shot off across the battlefield toward the stunned Gurdurr with absolutely incredible speed, flying far faster than when she was using Quick Attack earlier. Before anyone knew it, the Tranquill had slammed into Gurdurr with super-effective force, throwing him to the ground even as she began to circle back toward Volan.

"Gurdurr, use Smack Down!" cried Trip, sweat visibly forming on his brow.

"D-Durr!" stammered the Muscular Pokemon, readying his girder and starting toward Bernice.

"Not so fast!" shouted Volan. "Give him an Air Cutter-Aerial Ace combo!"

"Trranquill!" squawked Bernice, flying forward once more. She gave her wings a single flap on the way, firing a single blade of wind into Gurdurr's path. Although it didn't fell him, it knocked the metal beam out of his hands and sent it thudding to the ground away from him.

"G-Gurdurr!" shouted Gurdurr in alarm.

"Bulk Up!" Trip called desperately.

Bernice hit with the force of a bullet, smashing herself into his midsection and literally picking him off of the ground and pushing him through the air before her! The Tranquill moved so fast that Gurdurr didn't make a difference in her speed, heading straight for a wall.

They connected with the wall in an explosion of dust and concrete, in a din of shattering and cracking. Bernice soared upward from the dust with a triumphant cry, briefly eclipsing the sun as she flew back across the battlefield to her master's side.

Gurdurr followed her out of the curtain of dirt three seconds later, huffing and puffing exhaustedly. As it turned out, he had executed Trip's command in the nick of time, using Bulk Up to increase his defense just enough to survive the otherwise bone-shattering collision with the wall.

"Stay sharp, Bernice," Volan murmured. "It's not over yet."

"Use Strength, Gurdurr, and don't stop until it's over!" Trip shouted determinedly.

"DUUURRRR!" roared Gurdurr, forgetting his fatigue and swinging his girder before him like a madman, chopping the air with it crazily and incessantly.

"Dodge, Bernice!" ordered Volan.

The Wild Pigeon Pokemon dove and ducked through the air, away from every stroke of Gurdurr's beam. With astounding aerodynamic prowess, she deftly avoided the barrage of Strength attacks with almost ridiculous ease. Gurdurr increased the speed and power of his swings as his rage and desperation grew, but Bernice continued to fly circles around him.

"Now barrel roll and end this with Aerial Ace!" shouted Volan, a cry that could be heard easily from the opposite edge of the stadium.

"Dynamicpunch, Gurdurr! We can't lose now!" retorted Trip, clenching his fists and shaking with tension.

"Quill!" squawked Bernice, tucking in her wings and doing a swift barrel roll away from Gurdurr's last exhausted swing. White streaks of light surrounded her as she blazed forth to deliver the final blow. Gurdurr dropped his metal beam tiredly and swung his fist, calling upon his last reserves of strength.

Time seemed to slow down. Bird and brute ran forward to meet each other head-on, and beak threatened to connect with fist. A single question pounded through the minds of Volan, Trip, the spectators, and – far away in Nuvema Town – Volan's mother…

_Who is going to win?_

-.-.-.-.-.

**Biggest cliffhanger ever! (Except for the one at the end of my PMD fanfic, heh heh heh. I'm so evil.)**

**And so, Bernice finally evolves! Her biggest achievement yet! The grandest moment of both her and Volan's lives! A stunning display of strength and loyalty in the name of her Trainer! Things are looking up!**

**…For now. At this point, things look uncertain. Will Volan prevail over Trip? Will Bernice's evolution prove to be the event that turned everything around? Find out in the next chapter!**

**Also, this chapter is the last chance to ask the characters a question! Ask away, because they're leaving soon!**

**Bernice: "Trrrraaanquill! ****_Give us a review!_****"**

**Chapter Question #25: I've officially decided to do a sequel of this story, based on Pokemon X/Y! Which Pokemon, new or old, do you want to see Volan train in that story?**

**I personally want to see him with any number of Flying-types, especially Murkrow or Fletchling.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Tranquill, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Aerial Ace, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Rain Dance, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Crunch, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Protect, Poison Tail, Attract**


	36. The Gang Departs

**_Chapter 35 – The Gang Departs_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan and Trip faced off in the final round of the Club Battle Tournament! The battle rapidly got underway between Bernice and Trip's Gurdurr, see-sawing back and forth repeatedly, never giving any clear indications as to who would be the winner. But after a solid hit from Gurdurr's Smack Down, it looked like the end for Bernice – until she rose up even stronger than before, as the mighty Wild Pigeon Pokemon Tranquill! Volan gained much confidence from his best friend's evolution, and rapidly made a comeback in the battle. But soon, Bernice and Gurdurr readied themselves to deal the final blow, and the outcome looked unclear…**

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan was holding his breath and didn't even know it. His eyes were locked on the scene before him – Bernice, who had evolved into a magnificent Tranquill, rushing to meet Gurdurr's Dynamicpunch with Aerial Ace. It might have just been his eyes, but it appeared that they were almost going in slow motion.

Finally, after a second that seemed more like a day, the two Pokemon collided. Aerial Ace met Dynamicpunch, and the resulting combination of energy caused a massive explosion of light and smoke to spread throughout the stadium. Every eye watching the battle was closed to prevent the optical assault from damaging their vision.

Volan covered his eyes and tried to figure out a strategy – if the battle wasn't over yet, he'd have Bernice use Hypnosis and then heal herself with Roost while Gurdurr slept. Then, victory would only be an Air Cutter, or perhaps an Aerial Ace, away.

The smoke thinned, and the light faded. Volan squinted through the remnant haze and saw them – Bernice and Gurdurr, lying flat on their stomachs on either side of the central line that divided the battlefield. Slowly, the smoke faded enough for him to see Trip on the other side of the arena, and he could see that the green-haired boy looked almost distressed by the state of his Pokemon. But Volan could tell that he was only worried whether he had won or lost.

Gurdurr struggled to his feet, making no attempt to recover his girder lying off to the side. He wobbled on his unsteady legs, cringed, and fell. But he caught himself before he could collapse completely, placing a hand on the ground to help him balance.

Bernice got up with equal difficulty, staggering slightly and fluttering her wings to steady herself. Volan could see that her wings looked like a total mess, with some feathers disorganized and even gone in a few cases. But although the going was rough, Bernice firmly planted her talons on the ground and stood strong.

The two weakened Pokemon stared each other down for a minute, almost as if trying to will the other to give up and concede defeat. Volan suddenly noticed that he was trembling – trembling with anxiety and fear.

On the battlefield, Gurdurr took a hesitant step forward. "GURDURR!" he yelled, trying to show Bernice that he wasn't out of the fight. But his cry got interrupted by a heavy cough and wheeze. It was clear that the Muscular Pokemon was on his last legs.

"TRANQUILL!" screeched Bernice in reply, spreading her disorganized wings. "TRRRAAN… TRAN… quiiiiillll…" she suddenly moaned, and her talons gave out underneath her. Her beak hit the ground, her wings sprawled to either side, and she lay still.

Volan couldn't believe it.

He and Bernice – after everything they had gone through – had lost.

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan looked up somberly to see Nurse Joy and Audino approaching him, wheeling a cart before them. On it was a single Poke Ball, the one that he had given them ten minutes earlier after leaving the stadium and entering the Pokemon Center.

"I'm pleased to say that your Tranquill has made a full recovery," Nurse Joy said kindly, smiling at him. She held out the Poke Ball for him to take back.

The Gurei boy did so after a moment. "Thanks," he murmured, not looking at the nurse as he got up from his seat and made his way out the sliding doors.

It was late afternoon, and already the sky was turning a little orange. Volan walked across the street to a lonely bench that sat off the edge of the sidewalk. He sat down and just stared at Bernice's Poke Ball. It was a capsule that he used only when he felt he needed to.

"Tini?" whispered Victini, appearing by Volan's side and looking worriedly up at him with wide blue eyes.

Volan smiled, and he reached up with a hand to gently stroke the Legendary Pokemon's fur. "It's alright," he assured the little creature. "We lost fair and square, and there's nothing that you could have done."

Victini didn't look convinced. But suddenly, he stiffened with fright and then suddenly vanished.

"I figured I'd find you here," came the voice of Thrin, as she walked up to her brother and sat down beside him. "You're not coming to the closing ceremony?"

"No," Volan replied, not even looking up. "Bernice and I are going to need some time to ourselves. That's just what we did four years ago when we sorted that mess out."

He knew his Starter well, and right now he knew that Bernice would be dreadfully upset over what she thought she had done – lost and let her master down. It was his job to encourage her, to reassure her that she had done nothing wrong, to tell her that he was satisfied with their previous loss.

Volan pressed the button on the Poke Ball, and Bernice appeared in a flash of blue light. Although the Tranquill held herself up proudly, Volan knew that she was only hiding what she was really feeling.

"Bernice, there's no need to beat yourself up," he said quietly, cutting directly to the chase. "Gurdurr's done enough of that to you."

The Wild Pigeon Pokemon immediately knew that there was no fooling her master, not when he knew her so well. She allowed herself to slump slightly, her feathers drooping and her wings hanging by her sides. "Trran, Trrranquill…" she warbled dismally. "_I'm so sorry, Master Volan…_"

Volan reached down and put a finger under her beak, tilting her head up so she could look him in the eye. "Bernice, you've done nothing wrong," he told her firmly. "You gave it your all against a tough opponent, you fought until the very end, and you even managed to evolve, which is something you haven't done in all our years together! Since when is that wrong in anyone's book?"

Bernice shook his finger away and perked up ever so slightly. The boy did have a point. But even so, she couldn't help but feel ashamed of herself even though she knew she shouldn't be. Battling other Pokemon on their masters' or mistresses' behalf was what Pokemon did, and when they lost, wasn't that letting them down? Bernice believed that she had done so when she lost to Gurdurr.

"We all told you that we'd support you even if you lost, remember?" Thrin chimed in, causing Bernice to turn her head toward the younger Gurei. "No one's blaming you for doing anything wrong! I'm proud of you, Stephan's proud of you, your Pokemon friends are proud of you, and most of all, Volan's proud of you."

Even with this encouragement, Bernice still looked unsure. She looked at Volan again uncertainly, as if asking for his confirmation. "Quill?" she asked hesitantly.

Volan smiled at her. "You wouldn't believe how amazed and happy I was when you evolved," he said. "I don't care that you lost. In fact, I wouldn't care if you lost to a Magikarp. The truth is that I'm proud of you anyway. Losing is part of battling – no Pokemon is invincible. A strong Pokemon is one that learns from its defeats and uses that knowledge to become even stronger. And you're the strongest Pokemon I know, Bernice. In your own way, you're stronger than Gurdurr. As your master and lifelong friend, I know this."

This was the moment when Bernice's shell of worry and shame shattered, to be replaced by relief and joy. "Trrranquill, quill!" she squawked happily, flapping into Volan's lap and hugging him with her wings.

Volan hugged his beloved Starter back, and Thrin joyfully hugged both of them. When they separated, Volan stood up as Bernice fluttered up to perch on his shoulder as usual. He winced at the now-much-bigger bird's weight on his shoulder.

"You know, you're not going to be able to perch there forever," Volan laughed.

"Quill quill," retorted Bernice stubbornly. "_We'll just have to see about that._"

Thrin laughed along with her brother even as they walked back toward the stadium. "Everyone's going to be going their separate ways now that the Club Battle Tournament's done," she stated after they calmed down. "Why don't we go say goodbye to everyone while we can?"

Volan nodded. "Yes, we should do that," he agreed, then added cautiously, "There's… someone in particular I want to wish farewell."

His sister tilted her head in puzzlement, wondering whom he could mean.

-.-.-.-.-.

The mood in the stadium's lobby was simultaneously joyous and sad as the sixteen competitors met for a final time before their inevitable departure. It had certainly been a fun tournament, made even more fun by the fact that they had been competing with their friends. But now, it was time to say farewell until the next big get-together, if there was indeed to be one in the future.

"I'm going to crush you again the next time we meet, Dragon Girl!" threatened Georgia to Iris. "I've realized that beating you is the most satisfying thing I've ever done!"

"Of course, only a little kid would feel that way," sighed the purple-haired girl.

Meanwhile, Volan, Thrin, and Stephan had gotten back together, and were talking with Cheren and Bianca. "We're off on our journey again~!" the blonde chirped. "But this has been so exciting! I hope we can do this again sometime~!"

"Unova's a big place," Cheren stated in his usual monotone. "There's bound to be another tournament like this sooner or later. And when there is," he suddenly added to Volan, "I'm going to defeat you and prove to Unova that I am worthy to be its next Champion."

Volan replied politely, "I'll be waiting for your challenge then. But keep in mind that I'll have gotten stronger by then, as well."

Cheren nodded in response. "Done," he said flatly, then gestured to Bianca. "Come, Bianca, we must get going if we're to reach CasteliaCity by nightfall."

Bianca pouted, then hugged each of them in turn – first Thrin, then Volan, and then Stephan. "Bye then~!" she sang. "I hope you all have lots of fun on your journey! Ta-taaaaaa~!"

With that, she skipped after Cheren and out the lobby doors.

"I might as well get going too," Tony told them, walking up to the trio from out of the crowd. "I have a… friend waiting for me in NimbasaCity, you see. I don't want to keep her waiting too long."

Volan shook his hand goodbye. "Good luck, Tony," he said. "You too, Lucky."

"Fr-freeeeeh?! Freeeeeh!" the Butterfree stammered. "_Are you saying that we need good luck to succeed?! The nerve of you!_"

Tony saw his partner's agitation and grew slightly nervous. "Uh, we should get going then. See you around, Volan. You too, Thrin and Stuven."

"It's Stephan…" muttered the larger boy exasperatedly.

When Tony had left, the three Trainers decided that it would be a good idea for them to move on as well. Although, they didn't plan on leaving Virbank City just yet – Volan had expressed an interest in visiting the local Gym, and Stephan had instantly leapt on the idea. Thrin really had no choice but to go along with it, not that she minded.

But as it turned out, they weren't able to leave just yet. They had taken only two steps toward the door when a certain lavender-haired woman ambushed them – one person in particular.

"Yoooouuu!" screeched Burgundy, pointing accusingly at Thrin. "You who have dared to humiliate _moi _in battle with your evil little mite have not seen the last of the great Burgundy, expert Pokemon connoisseur! I will never forget this, understand? NEVER!" Shaking with fury, the woman stormed out of the lobby and into the sunset.

Thrin was wide-eyed, more from surprise than fright. "Well that was… unexpected," she said, mostly to herself. But Volan and Stephan heard, and they chuckled.

They began to walk forward again, but were stopped yet again. But this time, it was Thrin who called for a halt. "Volan," she began, turning to him, "you told me earlier that there was someone that you wanted to say goodbye to. Why don't you go find that person?"

Stephan did a quick study and nodded his agreement. "Yeah, we'll just chill out here. You take as much time as you need."

"We're not in any hurry," Thrin added.

Volan nodded at the two of them and walked away, scanning the crowd. Although there wasn't a particularly large amount of people in the lobby, he wondered why he couldn't find his target. _Maybe she left already…_ he thought.

He continued walking around in search of her, but was soon stopped when someone appeared in his path. It was Trip.

"I thought you left already," the green-haired boy said flatly.

Volan took a second to answer. "Well, I haven't," he stated. "That was a good battle, by the way. Your Gurdurr is really something."

Trip nodded casually. "Too bad I can't say the same for your Tranquill," he said in a rather bored voice. "It must be pathetic if it couldn't beat Gurdurr even after evolving. And I thought you actually had potential."

Volan's eyes blazed. "Who asked you?" he hissed. "The abilities of a Trainer aren't measured by the power of his Pokemon, but by the strength of his bond with them."

"I beg to differ," Trip disagreed. "If you and your Tranquill have such a bond, it obviously wasn't enough. I caught Gurdurr because I knew it would help me crush any Trainer that stood in my way to becoming Champion."

"Your point is?" growled Volan, as Bernice glared daggers at the increasingly insensitive boy before them.

"What I'm saying is that Trainers who can beat me and my Pokemon are actually worth my attention because they're threats to my goal," Trip explained nonchalantly. "Because you couldn't, you're obviously not worth battling any more. Strong Trainers give good experience – its basic stuff."

The boy stalked off. By now, Volan's fingers were twitching and his glare could have melted iron.

"Don't listen to him, Bernice," he muttered. "We won't let him bother us. And to think he used to be so polite…" But Volan now knew that it had probably been just an act.

"Trrrran, Trrranquill," said Bernice, patting him on the back of his neck.

Just then, Volan was faintly aware of the presence of another. As if to confirm this, a quiet voice reached his ear – "He's not very nice, is he?"

He already knew who it was, but turned around anyway. Caitlin stood before him, her hands folded neatly in front of her and a faint smile on her face.

"No, he's not," Volan replied, his anger draining away quickly. "But not everyone can be, you know."

"I suppose that's true," Caitlin agreed with a nod. "By the way, I was hoping I'd encounter you again before we went our separate ways."

Volan felt the heat rising in his face, and he fought it down. "Y-You were?" he asked tentatively.

"Oh yes," she replied, smiling. "I wanted to wish you luck on your journey, and to say that I hope we meet again."

Volan smiled back at her and shuffled his feet. "I hope so too," he said quietly. But then he looked up and said hopefully, "Unless, you wanted to come along with me…"

Before he could complete his request, Caitlin shook her head sadly. "I apologize," she explained, "but I must return to the Pokemon League. I am truly sorry that I can't come with you on your journey."

"N-No, it's fine," Volan quickly stammered. "I just thought I'd…"

"Trrrranquill. Quill, Tranquill?" squawked Bernice. "_Hang on. Who is this exactly?_"

Volan glanced at his Starter and broke into a wide smile. "You never met Caitlin, did you, Bernice?" he asked. "Sorry about that – Bernice, this is my old friend Caitlin. Caitlin, this is Bernice."

The girl reached up with a hand and gently stroked Bernice's head, to which the Wild Pigeon cooed with pleasure. "I remember you, Bernice," she said softly. "That was an amazing battle you had today. I couldn't help but feel so… thrilled."

Volan's smile faltered. Was it just him, or was there a tinge of regret in Caitlin's voice? _Why would anyone regret feeling thrilled?_ he wondered, but pushed the question into the back of his mind.

He quickly turned his head in response to a movement out of the corner of his eye – Thrin was waving at him, gesturing for him to hurry up. He nodded briefly at her, then turned back to face Caitlin.

"I guess I have to go now," he told her. "But it's been so nice seeing you again."

"I feel the same," Caitlin replied. "I hope to cross paths with you again soon."

Volan extended his hand, intending for her to shake it farewell – but he froze when she stepped closer to him and hugged him quickly around the waist. When she let go, he blushed and looked away uncomfortably, then gave her a short wave goodbye.

But as he began to head back to where Thrin and Stephan were waiting, he paused as Caitlin's voice floated back to him. "Volan…" she called.

He turned around once more. "Yes?" he asked.

"I…" the girl began, then stopped herself and began anew – "If it makes any difference to you… I was cheering for you throughout the tournament. I wanted you to win."

Volan smiled at her and said simply, "Thank you so much for that. Truly."

Without another word, he waved goodbye again and walked back to his friend and his sister.

Stephan immediately pounced on him. "You're friends with one of _the Elite Four?!_" he demanded. "Man, I'm so jealous of you, Volan."

"So she's the same Caitlin that you mentioned to me all those years ago," Thrin said in a musing tone of voice. "I thought so."

It was clear to Volan that Stephan was dying to ask more questions. The Gurei boy sighed and told him, "Listen, Stephan, I'm tired and want a good dinner and a full night's rest. I'll tell you the full story tomorrow, alright?"

Stephan nodded enthusiastically, then grimaced. "Ugh, now I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight, not knowing! The suspense is killing me!"

The three of them laughed lightly before walking out the stadium doors and into the sunset, for the last time.

-.-.-.-.-.

Caitlin watched her friend leave, laughing with his own friends. She sighed, a slow, heavy sound of regret. She didn't want him to leave just yet. They'd been apart for four years, and now he was walking away from her again. But she knew that she shouldn't think so selfishly. Volan had a life of his own, a destiny of his own.

The girl thought back to the conversation they had just had. She remembered his expression when she had told him that she had felt thrilled when he and Bernice had battled in the Club Battle Tournament final. His smile had shrunk, and a question had sprung into his eyes. _Did my regret really show that much? Did I give too much away?_

She hadn't been lying – she had never felt so excited in a long time. It reminded her of her own journey, when she had battled just as passionately with her own dear Pokemon. But that day… that day had changed everything. From that point forward, she had sworn that she would never again let her heart pound like that.

But…

Just being around Volan stimulated that feeling inside of her. Caitlin knew that she was just glad to see her old friend again, and the excitement she felt was only minor. She could afford to let her heart pound a little, just once.

But that still didn't explain everything. She had told Volan that she had cheered for him throughout the tournament, and she hadn't been lying when she told him that, either. However, she hadn't explained everything – indeed, she had withheld the fact that she wanted him to win the Club Battle Tournament _desperately_. She couldn't remember a time when she had wanted something so much. And, when Volan lost, she couldn't remember a time when she had been so disappointed.

_Friends cheer each other on,_ Caitlin thought to herself. _Friends want each other to win. But do they want it that badly?_

Involuntarily, her mind flashed back to her meeting with Volan the night before. His compliment – "_I… I think you're very elegant already_" – stirred something inside of her, something that had made her instinctively look away, something that had made her heart throb fiercely. With effort, she had managed to quell that feeling and look him in the eye once more.

And then her hand had touched his… oh, how her heart had _raced_! And then there was that terrible aching inside when she had left him…

Caitlin didn't know what all this meant. But she hoped everything would clear up eventually.

-.-.-.-.-.

**I think we all know what Caitlin's feeling right now! *winks***

**But… why is she so reluctant to let herself get excited? Why does she try so hard to maintain that calm demeanor of hers?**

**Anyway, this was another shorter chapter, but we'll get to the more exciting stuff in the next one! Until then, make sure to leave a review and to wait patiently for the next exciting installment!**

**Chapter Question #26: If you lived in Unova, during the course of this story, which character would you most like to meet and why?**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Tranquill, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Aerial Ace, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Rain Dance, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Crunch, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Protect, Poison Tail, Attract**


	37. Plasmas in Virbank City!

**_Chapter 36 – Plasmas in Virbank City!_**

**NOTE: I do not own what I am referencing in this chapter, or in other chapters.**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**The final round of the Club Battle Tournament ended explosively, and sadly, it turned out that it was Bernice that lost. After taking her to the Pokemon Center, Volan and Thrin both encouraged the disappointed pigeon and told her that they were beyond proud of her even after her defeat. Bernice recovered quickly and happily embraced her Trainer, and the trio went back to the stadium in order to say goodbye to the rest of their friends. After a tense meeting with Trip, Volan met up one last time with Caitlin and wished her farewell. But even as he left, Caitlin began to wonder why she felt the way she did around her old friend…**

-.-.-.-.-.

The next morning arrived as it usually did in Virbank City – the sun rose and painted the sky a wonderful shade of lavender, lining the clouds with brightest pink, while the skyline of Castelia City in the distance was shrouded in smog. Flocks of Wingull shrieked loudly as they shook off their drowsiness and began to soar across the coastline, swooping in fabulous dips and rolls.

Volan, Thrin, and Stephan emerged into the chilly morning air, shivering slightly as they suddenly left the warm atmosphere of the Pokemon Center behind them. Although Volan always wore his zippered hoodie, and thus wasn't bothered by the cold, he still closed the zipper just in case. Bernice was sleepily crouched on his shoulder, blearily blinking her yellow eyes.

"Do we have to leave th… thi… this early?" yawned Stephan.

"Yes," Volan replied, wide awake. "We agreed last night that we would return to Castelia City and head north through the desert to Nimbasa City. And to do that, we need as much time as we can get."

Thrin shifted the backpack on her shoulder. "I've replenished all the food supplies," she added. "We have enough to get us past the Desert Resort."

Stephan, despite his sleepiness, snorted in amusement. "Desert Resort…" he muttered. "Why's it called that? What's so resort-like about a desert, for Arceus' sake?"

"I didn't found Unova, so I have no idea," Volan retorted sarcastically. "Now, I believe the ferry leaves at around seven o'clock, if I remember correctly. That's fifteen minutes from now."

"Please don't remind me…" muttered Stephan. "It feels early enough without knowing the time, thank you."

Volan ignored that and gazed out at the horizon, looking toward the distant Castelia City. Idly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small morsel of Pokemon food for Bernice. The Tranquill instantly became wide awake and snatched it from his fingers, gulping it down eagerly.

"We might as well head down to the docks and wait for the ferry to arrive," Thrin said, pulling her own pink hoodie more tightly around her. "It's not like we're going to be able to do anything notably special in just fifteen minutes."

With that, the three Trainers began to head down the street to the harbor. Volan double-checked the map to see if they were going to the right pier – as it turned out, they were heading to the north-most pier, when their particular ferry was actually scheduled to arrive at the south-most one. They hastily altered their course, turning down another street, this one shabbier and more closed in than most, and heading south.

This early in the morning, everyone was mostly still asleep. Everything was quiet on this particular street, with not a soul in sight. However, the rather dark atmosphere prompted Volan to keep a close eye out for trouble, in case the street that they were on wasn't as deserted as it seemed.

A sudden yet distant scuffling sound came from a darker alleyway that branched off the street. The trio heard it easily and quickened their pace, walking swiftly past the shadowy corridor and leaving whatever lurked in its depths behind.

But they apparently weren't quick enough, as two large figures burst from the entrance and fell to the ground in a tangle of arms, legs, and clothing. Volan immediately whipped around, an action that was mimicked by the two others with him. Their eyes all widened at once – untangling themselves and painfully getting up off of the ground were two men with deep black and bright pink hair (oddly), wearing all-too-familiar amoebic uniforms. It was Team Plasma!

"Well that was kinda awkward," muttered the black-haired grunt, stepping away from his pink-haired counterpart. His voice was rough and deep, with a slight western accent, and his face seemed stuck in a permanent scowl.

"Shut it," snapped the other, who wore a similar but less fearsome expression. His voice was equally strange – it was more of a squawk than anything else, more high-pitched than his companion's and slightly raspy. He was clutching a very suspicious-looking sack in his fist.

Suddenly, the two of them looked up and noticed the three Trainers standing before them, shock wearing off and already reaching for their Poke Balls. Volan's hand automatically crept toward Grunge's capsule, the familiar icy glare already seeping out of his eyes.

"Oh snap!" cried Scowling Guy. "We've already been spotted!" Strangely, he kept his scowl even when startled.

"It doesn't matter," replied Pink Hair. "They're just a few kids, yes?" He stepped toward the group and swept his free hand in front of him, an obvious indication for them to move out of the way. "Move it or lose it, children. We've got an important meeting to get to."

"I'm so sure," Volan growled. "It wouldn't happen to involve whatever is in that suspicious bag of yours?" He gestured toward the sack Pink Hair carried.

"That's not for you to know, boy," snarled Scowling Guy. "Get outta our way and no one'll get hurt."

Stephan scoffed and took a big, defiant step forward, taking a position at Volan's side and crossing his arms. "Please! We've fought you Plasmas before. You're not so tough, or else why would you be sneaking around in deserted alleys?"

Pink Hair looked taken aback for a moment. "That is a really good point," he admitted quietly, plainly just talking to himself.

"Guess we've got no choice but to use force then," threatened Scowling Guy, pulling out a Poke Ball.

"Do your worst!" challenged Thrin, holding out her own Poke Ball.

But just then, there was a terrible yell that came from farther down the alley. Volan, Thrin, and Stephan looked down past the Plasmas, who turned around to look as well, and saw three teenagers roaring up the street toward them – all Trainers, Volan assumed. But suddenly, he recognized the white-haired one at the head to be none other than Roxie!

"STOP THEM, YOU FOOLS!" the Gym Leader screeched furiously, her face red with rage. "THEY'VE GOT MY POKEMON!"

It wasn't so much the sheer fury in Roxie's shout that gave Volan pause, but the words themselves. Team Plasma was stealing Pokemon again, this time from a Gym Leader! _Have they no morals?_ Volan asked himself, outraged. _Or intelligence, at least? Apparently not._

"Ha, I knew it!" Stephan exclaimed triumphantly. "Show 'em what's what, Sawk!"

The Poke Ball he hurled exploded with light, and the Karate Pokemon appeared in front of them, already in a battle stance. "Sawk!" he challenged, tauntingly crooking a finger at the Plasmas.

"Grunge, you too!" shouted Volan, tossing his capsule.

"And you, Luna!" added Thrin.

The Garbodor and Munna appeared beside Sawk, ready to beat down the two lackeys and right what they did wrong – in this case, return Roxie's Pokemon to her. Grunge snarled at the Plasmas, a fearsome expression to be sure, and Luna puffed up in what Volan guessed was supposed to be an intimidating manner.

"Plasmaaaaaa!" cried Pink Hair, fearfully glancing back and forth between the Pokemon and the rapidly advancing trio of Trainers. "What'll we do, Sierra?"

"Isn't that a girl's name?" whispered Thrin to the other two. Stephan chuckled, and Volan cracked a smile.

The black-haired grunt, apparently named Sierra, held out a Poke Ball. "Just follow my lead, Rinkus," he growled. "Go, Murkrow!"

He hurled the Poke Ball, and what was released was a small, black raven-like Pokemon with a crest and tail that resembled a witch's hat and broomstick. "Krow, krow!" it cawed.

"Murkrow, use Haze!" shouted Sierra.

"Kroooowww!" squawked Murkrow, spreading its dark wings. Black fog began to emanate from its feathers, soon enshrouding the area in a shadowy mist that was impossible to see through.

"Don't let them get away, Sawk!" yelled Stephan.

"After them, Luna!" shrieked Thrin.

"GET 'EM!" roared Roxie, diving right into the fog and swinging her fists.

Instead of hitting a Plasma, she swatted Luna across the muzzle instead. Crying out in pain, the Psychic-type launched a series of Psybeams out in random directions. Volan was hit by one and gasped as the rainbow lightning bolt sizzled through his body. Immediately, he sunk to the ground, unconscious.

It was under cover of this chaos of fog and psychic blasts that Rinkus and Sierra made their escape.

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan woke up suddenly, his eyes flashing open and already darting around, looking for trouble. It looked like he was still in the alleyway where they had encountered Team Plasma, propped up uncomfortably against a brick wall. The ground was wet underneath him, he noticed. Beside him, Bernice sighed with relief and fluttered onto his shoulder again. Grunge stomped forward and hoisted him onto his feet with a grunt.

"Bodor," he observed. "_Arceus, you're the lightest human ever._"

Thrin worriedly took a step toward her brother. "Are you alright?" she asked. "You're not hurt or anything, are you?"

The Gurei boy brushed her away. "I'll be fine," he insisted, wobbling a little on his still-unsteady legs. "But where did Team Plasma go?"

"They got away!" Roxie snarled, struggling to free her arms from the grasp of the other two teenagers she had arrived with. "Let me go, you buffoons! I'm going to grind Team Plasma's heads into the pavement so hard that they'll be nothing but dirty smears on the ground!"

Stephan – who had apparently recalled Sawk into his Poke Ball, Volan noted – folded his arms crossly. "Would you get a grip?" he scolded the enraged Gym Leader. "Need any help?" he added to Roxie's friends.

"No, we're… urgh, good," grunted the boy as he readjusted his grip on Roxie.

"Calm… down, Boss!" hissed the girl, pulling back on Roxie's arm in an attempt to restrain her.

With a yell, Roxie flung them away and began to sprint down the alley, presumably after Team Plasma. But Volan got in her way, and he was backed up by Bernice and Grunge.

"Roxie, settle down," he said calmly, holding out his palms as a signal for her to stop.

The girl took notice of his presence in front of her and stopped, breathing hard from anger. It took a full minute for her to relax, and when she did, Volan lowered his hands.

"Now," the Gurei boy continued, in the same calming voice, "can you tell us everything that happened?"

Roxie seemed to deflate. With a weary, heavy sigh, she sat down and slumped against the wall. After a moment, Volan and the other four joined her, making a sort of circle formation.

"Team Plasma barged into the Gym and stole my Pokemon right in front of me," Roxie finally mumbled. "Ricky and Billy Jo couldn't do a thing to stop them. Then we chased after them and met you here. That's the gist of it."

Roxie's friends, presumably Ricky and Billy Jo, patted her awkwardly on the back. She just sighed and sank her head into her hands miserably. Volan felt a twinge of pity for her.

"We'll help," he said suddenly, causing everyone to look at him in surprise.

"You will?" asked Ricky ecstatically.

"That'd be like, totally radical of you," added Billy Jo, giving him a smile.

Roxie looked up from her hands and met Volan's eyes. Her own carried disbelief with a trace of hope in them. "You'd really do that for me?" she asked in a quavering voice.

Volan gave her a solemn nod. "Of course," he replied. "You think we'd just stand here and _let_ Team Plasma get away with such things?"

"Definitely not!" answered Thrin for him.

Almost in unison, everyone stood back up and got off of the damp pavement. "Where do you think Team Plasma went?" Stephan asked, looking around. "We couldn't see anything, so they could have gone anywhere!"

Ricky seemed to think for a few moments, tapping his chin with a drumstick (not a poultry kind of drumstick, but a drum kind of drumstick). Thoughtfully, he mused, "They were headin' steadily west when we were chasin' 'em. They could have some destination in mind, ya know?"

Thrin tilted her head quizzically. "What's to the west?" she asked.

"Route 20, darlin'," drawled Billy Jo. "There's, like, plenty of forest there to hide in."

"Sounds like as good a place as any to start looking," admitted Volan. "We'll get your Pokemon back for you, Roxie. Unless you want to come with us, of course."

Roxie, who was uncomfortably looking down at her shoes for some reason, suddenly flared up. "Are you kidding?!" she exclaimed. "Of course I'm coming with you! They're my Pokemon, damn it, and it's _my_ responsibility to get them back!"

Volan took a cautious step back and held up his hands. "Alright, no need to get violent," he chastised. "Route 20 it is, then."

And with that, Roxie and her cronies – um, sidekicks – led the way toward Route 20, with Volan, Thrin, and Stephan following close behind.

-.-.-.-.-.

"Aw, come on!" Ricky complained, stomping his foot in frustration on the ground. "Now how're we going to find the Pokemon?"

It had rained recently, and the water had turned the ground mostly into mud, or at least wet dirt. The Plasmas had left a noticeable trail of footprints behind shortly after leaving Virbank City, a trail that Volan and the rest could easily follow.

But now, it looked as if the Plasmas had split up. One set of tracks went one way, and the other set went another way.

"So they split up. Like, big deal," Billy Jo scoffed dismissively.

"No, don't you see?!" Ricky objected. "There's two of 'em and only one sack of Poke Balls! How are we gonna figure out who has it?"

"Dude, chill," the girl said coolly.

Thrin sighed and cut off Ricky's smart reply. "She has a point," the younger Gurei said. "It doesn't matter that they split up. We'll just split up as well and follow them."

Stephan nodded his agreement. "Good idea! You, me, and Volan can go after one, and these three can go after the other."

"And like Ricky said earlier, they have some kind of goal in mind," added Volan. "That means they're going to have to meet up again. When we reach them, we'll all be able to fight together, six on two."

There were nods of understanding all around, and the two groups began to follow their respective trails. But they hadn't gone far when they realized that Roxie hadn't moved.

"Hey Boss, are you alright?" asked Ricky.

The young Gym Leader took a deep breath and looked at each of the others in turn. "Guys, I'm sorry for dragging you into this," she sighed.

"Hey, don't worry about it, 'kay?" said Billy Jo.

"Yeah, we would have gone after Team Plasma anyway," Thrin piled on.

"We're going to succeed in this," Volan told her. "Just have faith."

At last, Roxie shook herself and swatted Volan on the shoulder. "You're alright, Volan. You know that?"

The Gurei boy simply shrugged. "Good luck, you three," he told them, then led Thrin and Stephan off across the left trail of footprints.

The three others – Roxie and her bandmates – were left behind. Instead of moving off along the other trail, they just stared after the retreating Trainers' backs for a moment.

"They're not half bad, for a buncha kids," noted Ricky.

"Yeah, I guess," Roxie agreed, shrugging uncomfortably.

Billy Jo had a wide smile on her face as she watched the other three go. "That Volan kid's, like, kinda cute," she observed almost wistfully.

Roxie smacked her. "Sh-shut up," she growled, turning red. "Let's just get my Pokemon and beat those Plasmas so hard, their grandchildren will feel the bruises."

-.-.-.-.-.

**Please tell me someone got the reference I was making in respect to the two Plasma grunts. It's an important piece of my childhood.**

**Anyway, it looks like Rinkus and Sierra took flight (hint, hint) and got away with Roxie's Pokemon! What could they possibly gain from doing such a thing? Oh wait, that's right. Nothing whatsoever!**

**And why does Roxie act so… differently around Volan? Mysteries everywhere, I suppose.**

**Roxie: "Review, or else!" *holds up a fist and scowls***

**Chapter Question #27: For the plot of X and Y, my theory was that Team Flare would take control of one Legendary and use it to create a new world. You, as the hero, would team up with the other Legendary and bring down Team Flare. Which Pokemon would you pair up with?**

**Yveltal for me. I've always wanted to destroy a city whilst riding an awesome bird of death, personally…**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party:  
****Bernice (Tranquill, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Aerial Ace, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Rain Dance, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Crunch, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Protect, Poison Tail, Attract**


	38. Fighting Team Plasma in Floccesy Ranch

**_Chapter 37 – Fighting Team Plasma in Floccesy Ranch_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan, Thrin, and Stephan were ready to leave Virbank City the morning after the Club Battle Tournament. They took a path down a narrow, run-down street to get to the harbor, and were accidentally ambushed by two Team Plasma lackeys named Rinkus and Sierra! Roxie and two of her friends arrived, screaming that they had stolen her Pokemon. However, Rinkus and Sierra escaped undercover of their Murkrow's Haze attack, and fled into the forest of Route 20. The six Trainers split up in order to catch them and bring Roxie's Pokemon back home.**

-.-.-.-.-.

Volan frowned. The trail of footprints he had been following abruptly vanished as the wet dirt of the forest path turned into soft, damp grassland. He, Thrin, and Stephan had reached what seemed to be a large field that lay beyond a wooden gateway. This gateway was dominated by an archway, upon which the words "Floccesy Ranch" were painted.

"Floccesy Ranch?" Thrin asked uncertainly. "I've never heard of it."

"Well in any case, the footprints led us straight here," Stephan pointed out. "Our Plasma must be hiding somewhere inside."

Volan looked around for a sign, any clue that might point them in the right direction. He looked down at the ground, and felt a jolt of surprise as he picked out another trail of footprints that joined with the one they had been following. His eyes followed the other trail into a part of the forest that him and his friends had not traversed.

"It seems as though you're incorrect, Stephan," Volan said in a musing tone of voice. "Not just _our _Plasma, but _both_ Plasmas, are hiding somewhere inside."

He pointed at the ground, indicating the spot where the tracks joined. Thrin and Stephan saw and immediately understood.

"Rinkus and Sierra must have joined up again," Thrin noted.

"That makes our job easier," Stephan added. "That means the stolen Pokemon are guaranteed to be in here as well."

Bernice, who had remained on her master's shoulder throughout the chase, now turned toward him. "Quiiill?" she trilled, asking him something.

Somehow, the Gurei boy sensed just what his Starter was asking him. "There's no telling if Roxie and her friends are already inside or are on their way," he replied, throwing the statement to every pair of ears present. "But regardless, we must go inside and fight the Plasmas."

Thrin nodded. "Yeah, they're not very tough, are they? We could give them a pretty good thrashing even without the others' help."

Deciding not to wait any longer, and that Roxie, Ricky, and Billy Jo would arrive soon enough if they already hadn't, Volan and company proceeded through the gateway and into the Floccesy Ranch.

It was a peaceful place – too peaceful for Volan to imagine a pair of Plasma grunts lurking about. Small flocks of Mareep grazed contentedly on the grass while a pair of Herdier watched carefully over them and made sure none of the Electric-types strayed from the group. In the distance, past the Mareep, was a large herd of Tauros. Volan assumed that both livestock had been originally imported from some other region – he knew that neither Mareep nor Tauros were native to Unova.

"It's amazing here," Thrin murmured. "It's so tranquil. There's no sign of Team Plasma or any other danger."

"Yes," Volan replied grimly. "But looks are often deceiving. Somewhere in here, there are Pokemon in need of our help."

Suddenly, the back of his neck prickled. Volan turned around just in time to see two young people, a man and a woman, approaching them. A quick glance at their outfits revealed them to be Pokemon Breeders – they wore the generic bandanas and aprons that Breeders were known to wear. A Herdier trotted at their heels, its tongue hanging out of its mouth happily.

"Greetings, Trainers!" said the woman, causing both Thrin and Stephan – who hadn't detected them – to jump with fright. "Welcome to the Flocessy Ranch, our pride and joy! Come to enjoy the serene atmosphere?"

Volan cleared his throat and stepped forward. "As a matter of fact," he told her and her companion, "we haven't. We're on the trail of two Pokemon thieves that we think have come here."

The Breeders were both taken aback. "Pokemon thieves?" the male Breeder repeated. "I don't think so, son. We haven't seen anyone other than yourselves come here today."

"Which is odd," the woman mused. "Even this early in the morning, we have Trainers coming here to sample our region-wide-famous apple pie."

Volan, Thrin, and Stephan exchanged bewildered glances. "You wouldn't mind if we stayed around to look at least, would you?" Stephan asked.

"Oh, certainly!" the female Breeder said, beaming at them. "Visitors are always welcome on the Flocessy Ranch. By the way, I'm Sally, and this is my partner Charlie."

"Pleasure to meet ya," Charlie piled on. "Now, who're you young Trainers?"

Volan gave them a slight bow. "I'm Volantes," he told them. "Volan for short, please. This is my sister, Thrin" – here Thrin gave the Breeders a friendly wave – "and out friend Stephan."

Stephan stepped forward and vigorously shook both of their hands. "Name's Stephan," he repeated. "It's definitely a pleasure to meet you two."

"Yes, and you too, Sven," Charlie replied, shaking his hand back.

"Every flippin' time…" muttered Stephan sourly, deflating at the mispronunciation.

Smiling in amusement, Volan glanced once at his discouraged friend and decided against cheering him up. Stephan would bounce back, and if he didn't, there would be time to encourage him later. Right now, there was work to do.

As if reading his mind, Sally spoke up again. "Hey, youngsters," she began, "whaddaya say doing Charlie and I a little favor? One of our Herdier, the youngest really, has disappeared. Mind keeping an eye out for him?"

Once again, Volan and the others exchanged glances. "Definitely," Thrin said, nodding.

"Of course," Volan added.

"Trrrranquill!" squawked Bernice.

Sally and Charlie both beamed at them. "It's so nice to be able to rely on youngsters like you three," Sally said happily. "If you can find our Herdier, we'll be sure to repay you in some way. Say, you don't think that this mystery could be connected to your 'Pokemon thieves'?"

"You never know," Volan replied cryptically. "We're happy to help nonetheless."

The pair of Breeders each gave them an acknowledging nod before heading off back across the ranch.

"So where do we even start looking?" asked Thrin, looking around. "Its grass all around, and no trees whatsoever. Where in Arceus' name could those Plasmas have gotten to?"

Volan felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned around, only to see that there wasn't anyone there. But what he did see was the beginnings of a forest on the far end of the ranch. _That must be where Team Plasma ran off to,_ he realized. _I'll have to thank Victini for pointing that out later._ For indeed, the Gurei boy knew that it was the Legendary Pokemon who had led him to notice the trees in the distance.

"There," Volan said, directing Thrin and Stephan's gazes toward the grove. "Our pair of Plasmas must be in there somewhere. It's the only place they could have gone to hide effectively on this ranch."

Stephan whistled. "Good eyes, Volan," he complimented him. "I probably wouldn't have noticed that for a while."

"Then let's go," Thrin said, already starting to walk forward. "We've got Pokemon to rescue, don't we?"

-.-.-.-.-.

It didn't take the group long to reach the grove of trees. But they found themselves with another problem, almost the moment they came to the edge of the forest. "How are we going to find Team Plasma in there?" Stephan asked.

Volan squinted at the trees. Their crowns were very wide, and their trunks were close together – the resulting compact ceiling of leaves made it impossible for any sunlight to reach the ground. It was dark inside the grove, and the way the trees grew so closely together made it seem like a claustrophobic maze. Volan wasn't sure whether or not they'd be able to navigate it safely, and without getting lost.

A sudden snuffling sound caused Volan's attention to be diverted slightly to the left of where they stood now. He felt a minor jolt of shock as he saw what was making the sounds – a small Herdier, sniffing at a bush that grew just outside the dark grove.

"Do you think that's the Herdier that Charlie and Sally mentioned? The one they lost?" wondered Thrin.

"I'd say that's a good guess," agreed Volan. "But what's that it's sniffing?"

He took a few steps closer to the Loyal Dog Pokemon, and it looked up at him, noticing him for the first time. The Herdier barked at him in a friendly way and jumped up on his leg playfully.

Volan laughed. "Take it easy," he told it. "What were you so interested in over there, hmm?"

Herdier got down off of Volan and led him over to the bush, sniffing it again. Now that Volan got a good look at the bush, he saw a small piece of torn, plain grey fabric caught on one of the branches. Thrin and Stephan saw it as well as they joined him in examining the shrub.

"That came from one of the Plasmas, didn't it?" said Thrin. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Most likely," replied Volan. "But here's a question – do you think that Herdier can lead us to them? They have good noses, after all."

As if in response, Herdier took another sniff of the fabric, barked twice, and then dashed off into the forest.

"I'll take that as a yes," Stephan said drily. "Come on, we don't want to lose it!"

The three Trainers ran after Herdier, who had already gone pretty deep into the woods in the short time it took for them to follow. As they chased it, it would frequently stop and sniff the ground again before loping off in a different direction. The Normal-type was faster than the Trainers had expected – every time they caught up to it when it stopped, it would simply run off again and leave them in its dust.

But finally, Herdier stopped altogether when they were very deep inside of the shadowy woods. Volan, Thrin, and Stephan caught up to it and immediately realized why they had stopped. Before them, sitting on a fallen log and digging through the sack of Poke Balls they had stolen, were the Plasma grunts, Rinkus and Sierra.

"Which one do we liberate first?" mused the pink-haired one, Rinkus.

"Does it matter?" snarled his black-haired companion hostilely. "I say we just release" –

"None of them? That's what I was thinking as well."

The two grunts whipped their heads around in shock to see the three Trainers they encountered earlier standing before them. "H-How in Arceus' name did you find us?" squawked Rinkus, eyes wide.

"I'll admit it wasn't easy," Thrin conceded. "But we had a bit of help, which we're grateful for." She gently patted Herdier's head, and the dog Pokemon replied with a harsh growl directed at the Plasmas.

"Now, are we going to do this the easy way, or the hard way?" asked Volan icily. "To be honest, I'd prefer the hard way, but it's your decision."

Sierra laughed. "You're just a buncha kids!" he chuckled. "We'll defeat you in a Pokemon battle in the name of Pokemon Liberation!"

On that cue, both grunts each tossed out a Poke Ball. Sierra released his Murkrow, while Rinkus released his own Pokemon, a tough-looking Fearow.

Volan eyed both birds before taking out his Pokedex to scan each of them. "**Fearow, the Beak Pokemon. It has the stamina to be able to fly nonstop for an entire day. Its long bill is deadly and can be used as a weapon, although it is usually used to pluck insects from under rocks or beneath soil. This specimen is female with the Keen Eye ability, and her attacks are Peck, Leer, Whirlwind, and Mirror Move.**"

He then moved his Pokedex over to Sierra's Murkrow. "**Murkrow, the Darkness Pokemon. This Flying-type is believed to bring terrible misfortune to those who see it at night. If spotted, it will lure him or her into chasing it on a winding trail, and then leaving them lost. Murkrow are known to love shiny things. This individual is a male with the Super Luck ability and the attacks Haze, Wing Attack, and Pursuit.**"

Volan put away the digital encyclopedia and reached for his own Poke Ball. "Rudy, let's do this!" he cried, throwing the capsule out onto the soon-to-be battlefield.

"Dile Sandile!" growled Rudy when he appeared, displaying his fangs.

"You too, Luna!" shouted Thrin, releasing her pink Psychic-type.

"And you, Blitzle!" yelled Stephan, hurling the Poke Ball and allowing the striped equine to appear beside Rudy and Luna.

The battle didn't start right away – instead, the three combatants took a moment to glare into each others' eyes, sizing each other up and looking for weakness. No one found any.

"Fearow, use Peck!" cried Rinkus, pointing at Luna.

"Kraaaaaaahh!" screeched the Beak Pokemon, flying toward Luna like an immense feathery javelin.

"Luna, counterattack with Psywave!" shouted Thrin.

"Mun!" squeaked the Psychic-type, releasing an undulating wave of energy at Fearow. It connected with a small explosion, throwing the bird back slightly. Hardly fazed, she screeched her anger at Luna, who quaked in fear.

"Blitzle, get in there with Double Kick!" Stephan ordered.

"Bliiiiitz!" the Electrified Pokemon whinnied, galloping forward toward Fearow. When he got close, he jumped and kicked outward with his hooves, landing two blows on the Normal-and-Flying-type's chest. She staggered midflight, then recovered swiftly.

Sierra was next to give a command. "Murkrow, Wing Attack on the pony!" he snarled.

"Kroooow!" cawed Murkrow, streaking down from the sky with his wings ablaze with white light. Even as Blitzle started to land, he plowed into him like a black bullet, throwing him heavily to the ground.

As Blitzle got painfully to his four feet, Murkrow bombarded him with harsh, raucous laughter. "Bliiiitz…" the equine muttered, gritting his teeth and flashing his mane.

"Rudy, help Blitzle with Sand Tomb," said Volan.

"Dile!" growled Rudy, and exhaled a powerful jet of sand from his mouth.

But a shock was coming for him. Rinkus took charge and ordered, "Fearow, guard Murkrow and then use Mirror Move on Blitzle!"

"Kraaah!" shrieked Fearow, gliding in between her companion and the incoming whirlwind. The gale of sand and wind hit her dead-on, but only did minor damage.

"What was that for?" muttered Stephan. "Fearow just took damage instead of Murkrow."

"Now, Fearow!" ordered Rinkus.

"Kraaaaah!" the Beak Pokemon cawed, her feathers shining like a mirror. She opened her beak and then blasted a hurricane of sand at Blitzle! Immediately, Volan remembered what Mirror Move could do – copy the last move used against the Pokemon and turn it around at the opponent. Rudy's attack had literally backfired.

The Sand Tomb hit Blitzle like a pile driver, sending him into the dirt painfully. He struggled briefly, then went still.

As Stephan recalled Blitzle into his Poke Ball, Thrin's eyes blazed. "What a dirty trick!" she shouted, enraged. "Luna, use Psybeam on Fearow!"

"Muuuu-NAAAAA!" cried Luna, sending a colorful bolt of psychic lightning lancing toward Fearow.

"Murkrow, Wing Attack!" ordered Sierra.

The Dark-and-Flying-type shot forward toward Luna, completely ignoring the Psybeam attack as he blazed right through it – his Dark-type ensured that the Munna's attack wouldn't have any effect on him. Luna just managed to tilt her body so that Murkrow swept past her, missing her by mere centimeters.

The black bird Pokemon carved a wide turn in the air in order to have another go at Luna, and Volan and Rudy instantly knew that this was their chance. "Rudy, jump up there and use Crunch!" said Volan.

"Sandile!" growled Rudy, crouching tensely and then springing up into the air with all the force he could muster. His fangs extended and shone white as he soared up toward Murkrow. The raven-like creature didn't see him until it was much too late – his beady eyes spotted the Sandile on the edge of his peripheral vision, and then his wing was suddenly being chomped!

"Kroooooow!" shrieked Murkrow, tumbling to the ground as Rudy dragged him down.

Rinkus saw his teammate's Pokemon being snatched out of the air and decided to act. "Fearow, get that little sand worm with Whirlwind!" he commanded.

"Kraaaaahh!" screamed Fearow, flapping her wings strongly and creating a heavy gust of wind.

"Rudy, get out of there!" Volan called over the raging wind.

The Desert Croc Pokemon let go of Murkrow's wing and plummeted to the ground, but not fast enough. The whirling gale caught him and spun him around dizzily, turning him into an orb of red energy that was automatically sucked back inside the Poke Ball that Volan still held in his hands.

At the same time, the Whirlwind seemed to be drawing Volan forward, beckoning to him. Another Poke Ball flew out of his pocket and opened up, yielding to the fierce winds. Rickie appeared in a flash of light, looking very bewildered

"Tricky bunch, these two are…" Volan muttered to himself. "Alright, Rickie, use Bubblebeam on Murkrow!"

"And Luna, you use Psybeam on Fearow!" added Thrin, even as the two birds flew side-by-side once more.

"Tooooooaaaad!" cried Rickie, releasing his Bubblebeam.

"Muuu-naaaaa!" squealed Luna, shooting a blast of energy from her forehead.

Both attacks struck home, immediately knocking both Fearow and Murkrow out of the air. They hit the ground at the same time – one's feathers were smoking, and the other's were sodden.

"Kraaaahhh…" Fearow moaned.

"Krooooowww…" Murkrow squawked.

Rinkus and Sierra were aghast. "Plasmaaaa!" shrieked Rinkus. "We were beaten by a gang of kids, yes?!"

"Grr, blast it!" spat Sierra. "And we nearly got away with this too! Why didn't he show up when he was supposed to?!"

At Sierra's words, Volan, Thrin, and Stephan exchanged worried glances. There was supposed to be another Plasma? Where was he? Did Roxie and her gang deal with him?

"Fine," muttered Rinkus, tossing the sack of Poke Balls they had stolen to Stephan. He barely caught it, and stumbled when he did so. "Take them," the Plasma continued. "But you'll regret this! Nothing can stop Team Plasma, and nothing will once we get the Stone, yes?"

Sierra scowled at him. "You weren't supposed to say that!" he chastised. "But we'll discuss this later. For now, we escape!"

The black-haired grunt pulled a grey object from his pocket. Volan, instinctively knowing what it was, ran forward to try and stop them, with Bernice taking flight alongside him and Herdier joining him as well. But Rinkus threw the object onto the ground and was instantly obscured by a thick cloud of fog.

By the time Volan and the two Pokemon fought their way through the dense mist, both Rinkus and Sierra were gone.

"They got away!" exclaimed Thrin, stomping her foot in frustration.

"Yes, but at least we got Roxie's Pokemon back," Volan told her, nodding to Stephan and the sack he carried. "And we found Herdier as well. So we got our victory anyway."

Stephan, for some reason, looked down at the spot where the Plasmas had vanished, and suddenly saw something that seemed out of place. At first, it seemed like a fallen leaf, but as he looked at it he realized that it wasn't.

"Hey guys," he spoke up, alerting Volan and Thrin. "I think the Plasmas dropped something."

Volan followed his friend's line of sight and noticed the strange object. He took the sack of Poke Balls from Stephan, then bent down to pick it up – it turned out to be a slightly damp piece of parchment. On it were faded words, words that the Gurei boy could barely make out. They read "the Stone of Dark Thunder" and, underneath that, "the Stone of Cold Fire".

_What could those possibly mean?_ he wondered. The words seemed to take on an ominous meaning, an unknown significance that sent chills down his spine.

"Trrrranquill?" inquired Bernice, tilting her head to look down at the parchment.

"That isn't for you to see, child."

Volan froze. Bernice's and Herdier's hackles rose simultaneously. Thrin and Stephan jumped. As one, they turned around.

At first glance, they couldn't tell who the man was – he had rusty hair and wore an all-black uniform that made him look like a spy or secret government agent. A black cloth obscured his face, so only his eyes, nose, and a bit of his hair went uncovered. But a glance at the man's chest made it clear. His uniform carried the symbol of Team Plasma.

"You were the one that Rinkus mentioned," Volan stated. It wasn't a question.

"I am," the Plasma replied emotionlessly. His voice was smooth but muffled. "I have the honor of carrying the rank of Elite Plasma Grunt. Rinkus and Sierra are my partners."

_Elite Plasma Grunt?_ The words hung in the air like an unspoken, unanswered question.

"Why didn't you show up to help your friends?" Thrin demanded.

"I was late in arriving," the Elite Plasma Grunt said flatly, but something in his tone contradicted his words.

He advanced a single step. The three humans and four Pokemon all tensed, readying for a fight.

"I do not wish to battle you at this moment," the Elite Plasma Grunt told them. "Instead, I wish to tell you something, by order of the High King of Team Plasma. Specifically, to the ones called Volantes and Thrin Gurei."

Said siblings stiffened at the sound of their names. "And that something would be…?" asked Thrin, her voice displaying the sheer amount of caution she was exercising.

The Elite Plasma Grunt leaned in and whispered, "As a member of Team Plasma, I have done many things, most of which I regret. But terrible things must be done to ensure that the King gets what he wants, and thus to ensure my own safety. The King says to stay out of his way, to give up fighting. Team Plasma will find the black dragon and prevail."

How the Plasma vanished, none of them knew. One second, he was there, and when they blinked at his confusing words, he was gone.

"Volan!"

The familiar shout cut through the thick air of doubt and menace, dispelling the tension. The three Trainers turned around to see Roxie, Ricky, and Billy Jo running toward them out of the darkness of the forest.

"Hey dudes, ya did it!" Ricky exclaimed when they stopped running, gesturing widely toward the sack of Poke Balls. "You got ridda those grunts all by yourselves, man! You guys are totally wicked!"

"You must be, like, totally strong if you ran off those Plasmas, yeah?" said Billy Jo. "That's, like, pretty cool. I admire that."

Then, to Volan's chagrin, the willowy teenager leaned in close to him and breathed, "I might even _like_ that…"

Someone roughly pulled her away from Volan before Bernice could step in. It turned out to be Roxie herself. "Get away from him," she growled. "Let me get my Pokemon, you strumpet."

Volan almost laughed – he hadn't expected such language to come from the rough-and-tumble, modern girl before him. But he only smiled amusedly and handed Roxie the sack of Poke Balls.

"Thanks a lot, Volan," the young Gym Leader told him. "You're really amazing."

Volan actually found himself blushing slightly from her praise. Roxie noticed, and barely managed to hide a blush of her own.

"Say," Ricky interrupted. "Why don't you folks come hang out at the Gym, huh? We oughta thank you with a battle!"

Roxie perked up and looked at Volan, a question in her eyes. "Will you have a battle with me, Volan?" she asked hopefully. "If you win, I'll give you a Gym Badge. It's the least I can do to thank you."

Thrin and Stephan nodded their encouragement to the Gurei boy, but it wasn't necessary. He had already made up his mind.

"Alright," Volan agreed with a smile. "Let's go return this Herdier to its owners, then you lead the way to the Virbank City Gym."

"Trrranquill!" trilled Bernice happily.

-.-.-.-.-.

**I'm thinking of having Rinkus, Sierra, and their mysterious companion make a reappearance in this fanfic sometime. I'm also hoping that they'll play a bigger role in the story when they do. Eh, just a thought.**

**The "Elite Plasma Grunt" wears the same uniform as the grunts in BW2, if you're wondering. I always thought they looked more menacing than the original grunts, so I decided to simply make them stronger versions of them. The "admins", if you will.**

**So, it looks like Volan's going to have another Gym battle in the next chapter! How will he fare against Roxie and her Poison-types? And what could be the significance of the Stones of Cold Fire and Dark Thunder?**

**Review, wait patiently, and see you soon!**

**Chapter #28: There are 11 Gyms in Unova, and so far, Volan's visited three (with a fourth to come). Which Gym Leaders should he face after Roxie?**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Tranquill, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Aerial Ace, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Rain Dance, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Crunch, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Protect, Poison Tail, Attract**


	39. Volan vs Roxie

**_Chapter 38 – Volan vs Roxie_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Arriving on the Flocessy Ranch in search of Team Plasma, Volan and Co. were approached by the owners of the ranch, Sally and Charlie, who told them that their youngest Herdier had recently gone missing. They found the Loyal Dog Pokemon sniffing around the edge of the forest at the back of the ranch, and it eventually led them deep inside to where Rinkus and Sierra were hiding. There was a brief battle in which the grunts lost to Volan and Thrin, and they escaped after returning the Poke Balls they had stolen. But an Elite Plasma Grunt showed up to warn Volan about continuing to oppose Team Plasma, and then vanished. Roxie then showed up, thankful she had her Pokemon back, and challenged Volan to a battle!**

-.-.-.-.-.

"This is a Gym?" Stephan asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow at the tiny, shabby building they stood before. It was crammed in between two other, much larger, buildings and was about the size of the average garden shed. A flickering neon sign in the shape of the Pokemon League symbol was mounted above the entrance.

"Yep," replied Ricky. "It's not much, but it's all we can afford at the moment."

"We're totally hoping to go on tour across Unova soon," added Billy Jo. "That'll get us a bit more cash, yeah?"

Roxie shrugged uncomfortably. "It's our home," she said simply, and Volan found himself nodding. He couldn't help but think of where he lived, back in Lacunosa Town. Like Ricky and Roxie said, it wasn't much, but it was home.

"So, lemme show you the way in, huh?" Roxie said suddenly, breaking the silence. She turned the doorknob and shoved the door open, with a creak loud enough to wake up a Snorlax.

Inside was a narrow but well-lit corridor that descended down underground. There was quite a bit of graffiti decorating the walls as the group of six walked down the stairs, their footsteps echoing softly.

They reached the end of the hallway in only a minute, coming up to a door that was slightly larger than the one they had just walked through already. Crudely painted on it in purple was the Pokemon League symbol, the same symbol that was hanging outside.

"Home sweet home," Roxie sighed as she pushed open the door and, once inside, turned on the lights.

The room Volan and his friends found himself in was vast compared to the claustrophobic corridor they had just walked through. It slightly resembled a nightclub of some sort – it was covered in grey tiles and more graffiti on top of that. Tables and chairs were scattered around the room haphazardly. On the ground were various items such as candy wrappers, empty beer cans, and a few things that Volan wished he hadn't glimpsed the instant he saw them.

At the end of the room was a huge stage, the kind you'd see a rock band perform on. _Appropriate,_ Volan mused. _And I assume that Roxie and her cronies make up the band that owns this place._

As he thought this, the three Trainers in question climbed up onto the stage and switched on the lights. Immediately, the elevated portion of the room was illuminated, and Volan could see it in better clarity – a battlefield!

"Interesting," Thrin said, speaking for the first time since coming here.

"What're you waitin' for, dudes?" yelled Rickie, waving them over. "There's a battle to be fought! By the way, I'll be actin' as the referee."

Thrin and Stephan settled themselves at a table and looked up at the stage-slash-battlefield as Volan made his way up onto it. He passed Billy Jo on the way, who fluttered her eyelids and purred, "Good luck, Volan."

Shuddering, the Gurei boy took his last few steps onto the battlefield, where Roxie and Ricky were waiting in their respective positions. "Ready, Bernice?" he asked his Starter.

"Trrranquill!" she trilled affirmatively.

When Volan took his position on the side opposite Roxie, Ricky began his announcement. "This'll be a three-on-three battle between the challenger, Volan, and… know what? Forget it. You two use three Pokemon each, and this battle's over when all of 'em are unable to continue. Got all that?"

Volan chuckled at how the other boy had given up trying to sound official, and quickly composed himself. He nodded determinedly, already reaching for a Poke Ball.

"Let 'er rip!" yelled Ricky, slashing his hands down as a signal for the battle to begin.

Roxie dug a Poke Ball out of her pocket and tossed it. "Let's rock!"

When the capsule opened, a small, floating purple thing appeared. It had a wide, jolly smile and a mustard yellow skull-and-crossbones symbol on its chest. Its entire body was covered in nozzles that spewed thick green smoke. "Koffing Koffing!" it guffawed.

Volan got out his Pokedex upon the creature's release. It stated, "**Koffing, the Poison Gas Pokemon. It constantly emits foul-smelling toxins that are lighter than air, enabling it to float. These gases are also highly explosive. This specimen is a young female with the Levitate ability, and the attacks Smog, Gyro Ball, Venoshock, and Tackle.**"

"Highly explosive…" Volan repeated, remembering Oliver defeating Grunge way back on Route 3 during a training session. "Bernice, are you up for taking on Koffing?"

Bernice nodded and took to the air with a shriek. "Trrranquill!"

As soon as the Normal-and-Flying-type flew over the battlefield, Roxie sprang into action. "Koffing, use Gyro Ball!"

"Koffing!" she affirmed, spinning like a top through the air at Bernice.

"Swerve up and around, then use Aerial Ace!" shouted Volan.

Bernice deftly dodged Koffing's Gyro Ball by doing just as he said – she carved a wide upward turn, flying right over the Poison-type, then sharply turned and executed a perfect Aerial Ace. She slammed right into Koffing's back the instant she stopped spinning.

"Suck it up, Koffing, and drive her away with Smog!" ordered Roxie.

Koffing sucked in a deep breath and inflated to twice her size, and before Bernice could head back to Volan, she forcefully deflated and shot jets of toxic gas from every orifice on her body. The Tranquill was quickly caught in the poisonous fog, and rapidly backed out of it with a series of ragged coughs. Luckily, it didn't seem as though she was poisoned.

"Get her back with Air Cutter!" cried Volan.

"Quill!" squawked the Wild Pigeon, launching a succession of wind blades.

Roxie smirked and commanded, "Gyro Ball, then Tackle!"

"Koffing!" replied Koffing, hovering in place even as she began to spin. The Air Cutters hit her one after the other, only to shatter harmlessly. The moment they stopped, Koffing stopped spinning and shot toward Bernice.

The purple ball of poison slammed into the Tranquill and knocked her to the ground solidly. She struggled briefly, then got to her talons and squawked defiantly at her airborne enemy. "Trrran, Tranquill!" she crowed.

Roxie was relentless. "Use Gyro Ball again!" she ordered, the second Bernice got back on her feet.

"Air Cutter, wide spread!" shouted Volan.

"Trrrranquill!" squawked Bernice, spreading her wings and sending a barrage of blade-like currents at the spinning Koffing. But the Poison Gas Pokemon just blazed right through them, zigzagging this way and that as she spun.

"Barrel roll!" commanded Volan, and Bernice sprang into the air toward the incoming Koffing, doing a neat twirl in the air with her wings pulled close to her body. The maneuver helped her escape the Gyro Ball attack, and Koffing smashed into the floor.

"Now use Roost," the Gurei boy said.

Bernice landed on the ground and closed her eyes, allowing an aura of yellow sparkles to descend and surround her. In mere moments, all the damage that had been done to her had healed – but the yellow aura remained around her wings, rendering them useless for the time being.

"Bold move, Volan, but your Tranquill can't fly anymore!" yelled Roxie, confident that she'd win now. "Koffing, Venoshock!"

"Koffing!" affirmed the Poison-type, floating up off the ground and shaking away her dizziness. She began to spin again, and this time she began to spit blasts of purple poison out from her nozzles. Soon, a hail of toxic bullets was heading right toward Bernice.

"Air Cutter!" ordered Volan.

Bernice spread her glowing wings with a determined "Quiiiiill!" and flapped them ferociously, meeting the Venoshock attack with a storm of Air Cutters. Each projectile met a blade current, exploding midair. This continued until the entire battlefield was shrouded in smoke and rocked by explosions.

Volan knew Koffing wouldn't be able to see through the smoke, but he was betting on Bernice's eagle eyes being able to. "Now, Aerial Ace!" he shouted.

"Trrrranquill!" she squawked, becoming surrounded by a nimbus of white light. Then, she shot forward, dashing across the ground better than many ground-bound Pokemon Volan could name. Through the cloud of smoke she went, tearing a huge hole through it and slamming right into the shocked Koffing.

"No!" Roxie shrieked, stomping her foot dramatically. "You can't lose, Koffing!"

"Koooooofff…" she disagreed, rolling limply to bump against her mistress' foot.

"Wicked! Koffing is unable to battle, so that means Volan is the winner of this round!" announced Ricky.

Roxie sighed and called Koffing back into her Poke Ball. As she did so, Volan held out his arm, and Bernice flew down to perch on it.

"Excellent job, Bernice," said the Gurei boy, stroking her head affectionately. "Why don't you rest for now and recover your strength?"

"Trrranquill!" she cawed, fluttering off of his arm and then moving to his shoulder. Volan noticed that the yellow glow around her wings was gone, allowing her to use them again.

"Not bad, Volan!" called Roxie. "But you'll have to do better if you want to beat my next Pokemon!"

She hurled another Poke Ball, and the creature that came out of this one definitely looked like a challenging foe. It was a huge, violet serpent, sporting a wide, flat chest with a fearsome pattern emblazoned on it. "Chaaaa-boka!" it squawked.

Volan recognized this Pokemon – it was the one Roxie had used against Trip in the Club Battle Tournament. He pulled out his Pokedex and scanned it; "**Arbok, the Snake Pokemon. The pattern on its hood varies from region to region, and used mainly for intimidation. While its prey is frozen in fear, it will either inject venom or constrict it to death. This individual is female, possesses the Shed Skin ability, and knows Poison Fang, Wrap, Acid, and Glare.**"

Considering his options, Volan decided to go for speed. "Rickie, no mercy!" he cried, tossing the Poke Ball and releasing its inhabitant.

"Paaaaalpitooooad!" gurgled Rickie upon being unleashed.

"Whoa, that Pokemon totally has the same name as me!" exclaimed Ricky.

Roxie didn't even wait for him to give the signal to start the battle – she leapt right in. "Arbok, give them an Acid attack!"

"Chaaaaa-boka!" she shrieked, opening her mouth wide and spraying a mist of venom at Rickie.

"Rickie, Bubblebeam!" shouted Volan.

"Toooooad!" cried Rickie, launching a solid stream of bubbles from his mouth. The beam tore through the poison and slammed into Arbok, directly in the chest. She struggled to stand her ground, but was soon hurled into the air and onto her back.

"Get up and stay strong, Arbok!" yelled Roxie. "Use Poison Fang!"

"Chabok!" squawked the Snake Pokemon, suddenly getting up off of her back by coiling up into a tight circle. Her mouth bubbled with venom as she suddenly lunged at Rickie, rapidly gaining ground.

"Jump, then Mud Shot!" cried Volan.

"Toad!" affirmed Rickie, jumping high into the air with a flick of his tail. As Arbok struck at the spot where he had been only a second ago, he uncurled his tongue and flung five globs of mud at her exposed back. They impacted with a series of loud explosions, throwing smoke and dirt into the air.

"Use Wrap!" shouted Roxie.

Arbok coiled up underneath Rickie and snagged him with her tail, dragging him back down to the ground. She then tightened her grip on him and started to constrict, squeezing the breath right out of him. "Paaaalpi…" he gasped lowly as his eyes bugged from his sockets.

Volan knew he had to do something fast before Rickie lost consciousness. "Give her a close-range Uproar!"

With what was left of the breath in his lungs, Rickie blasted out a sonic cry that smashed directly into Arbok, physically throwing her back slightly. She cried out in pain and relaxed her grip, uncoiling and slithering away from the source of the sound.

"Now Bubblebeam, once more!" ordered Volan, ready to end this.

"Tooooaaad!" gurgled Rickie, opening his mouth and releasing another frothy beam of bubbles and water.

"Dodge and use Poison Fang!" screamed Roxie.

"Chaaaaa-boka!" cried Arbok, twisting herself out of the way of the Bubblebeam and lunging for the Palpitoad. He was unable to dodge in time, and Arbok scored a painful bite on his flank. Then, she picked him up and swung him in a wide arc before throwing him into the wall.

"Ouch, I could feel that," muttered Ricky from his position as referee.

The Vibration Pokemon slowly got up and staggered to Volan's side, trying to stay strong but with great pain showing through his eyes. Volan could see that he had been poisoned by Arbok's attack.

But that didn't worry him – he knew that he could turn this around with one attack. "Rickie, heal yourself with Rain Dance!"

Despite the agony he was going through, Rickie managed to stand tall and sing a single note, causing a bright blue ring to emanate from his mouth and sweep across the battlefield. Near the ceiling, storm clouds started to crowd together, and a light drizzle began to fall.

Roxie snickered. "How's a bit of rain gonna…" she began, but then stopped. Across the battlefield, the pain evaporated from Rickie's eyes, and he stood up straight once more.

"Rickie's ability is Hydration," Volan said with a bit of smugness. "When it rains, it'll cure any status condition he's currently under."

The young Gym Leader shook herself out of her shock. "Yeah, like that's going to help! Arbok, use Glare!"

"Chaaa-boka!" replied the Poison-type, coiling up in front of Rickie and displaying her pattern. The eye-like markings started to glow ominously.

Volan knew that if Glare worked, Rickie would be paralyzed – and even if Hydration cured it, Roxie still might get a chance to attack before his ability kicked in. No, Volan couldn't risk it.

"Rickie, avoid it and use Bubblebeam!" he commanded, sensing that this could be the end.

Rickie swiftly slid across the now-slick stage floor and ended up behind Arbok. Before she could twist herself around to focus her Glare on him, he struck with a powerful Bubblebeam, its power enhanced by the rain. It hit Arbok square in the back and propelled her into the far wall behind Roxie.

"Chaaaabok…" she whimpered as she slid down the wall and into a messy coil on the ground.

"Sorry to rain on your parade, Boss," chuckled Ricky, "but Arbok's unable to battle. This round goes to Volan."

As Roxie recalled the cobra-like Pokemon back into her Poke Ball, an ecstatic Rickie turned to face Volan. The boy smiled and said, "You were great, Rickie. Do you want to keep battling or rest for now?"

"Paaaaalpitooooad! _I'm feeling fine, so let's continue!_" replied Rickie, hopping back onto the rain-drenched battlefield.

"This isn't over yet!" yelled Roxie, drawing a third Poke Ball from her pocket. "Let's get ready to rooooooock!"

She threw the Poke Ball, and in a flash of blinding light, a titan was released. The creature towered eight feet high on four jointed legs, and was covered in a shiny pink exoskeleton that looked like it could stand up to a missile blast. Its body curved in an S-shape and ended in a small, beak-like head with poisonous yellow eyes. On each end of its body was a pair of long, jagged antennae.

Volan paled. He knew what the monster was from that book in the Nacrene City library – a Scolipede.

His hand automatically went to his Pokedex, which said cheerfully, "**Scolipede, the Megapede Pokemon. Incredibly aggressive, this enormous myriapod attacks with its horns and venomous claws. They gallop at terrifying speeds after their prey, not stopping until it has been killed and eaten. Scolipede has existed for millions of years, evolving long before most prehistoric Pokemon. This specimen is a mature female with the Swarm ability, and knows the attacks Poison Jab, Iron Defense, Earthquake, and Poison Sting.**"

"SCOOOOOLA!" screeched Scolipede, rearing her head up high and shaking her antennae. Suddenly, Rickie looked a lot less confident about his odds of winning.

Away from the battlefield, one of Thrin's Poke Balls suddenly opened, allowing Valkyrie to be released onto the table she sat at. The little Venipede regarded her final evolved form with silent awe. _That'll be me someday, _she promised herself.

"Rickie, we can still do this," muttered Volan. "Use Mud Shot at her feet!"

"T-Toooad!" stammered Rickie, extending his tongue. But before he could execute the attack, Scolipede was already in action.

"Earthquake!" ordered Roxie.

"Scoli!" replied the Megapede Pokemon, her horns glowing with energy. She ducked her head down and slammed her horns into the floor, creating a terrible shockwave that rocked the very earth. Everyone in the room struggled to keep their balance, and Rickie tumbled helplessly to the ground.

"Quickly now, use Poison Jab!" screamed Roxie even as the ground slowly began to stop shaking.

"Scolipede!" squawked the Bug-and-Poison-type, and charged forward at Rickie. Her horns were glowing an unhealthy purple color even as she crashed them into Rickie with the force of a bulldozer, sending him flying into the air.

The Palpitoad landed heavily next to Volan. "Paaaal…" he moaned, slipping into unconsciousness.

"I am – sorry. _Rickie_ is unable to battle, and Scolipede wins!" announced Ricky.

Volan clenched his jaw even as he reached into his pocket for Rickie's Poke Ball. "Good try, my friend," he murmured. "Your defeat won't be in vain, I promise you."

Glaring across the battlefield and Roxie and Scolipede, Volan muttered from the side of his mouth to Bernice. "You think you can take down this last Pokemon?"

Bernice nodded and spread her wings. "Trrranquill!" she trilled, soaring onto the battlefield. She was fully rested from her battle with Koffing, and was ready and raring to go.

Could Volan and Bernice, who had defeated many strong opponents before this, take down Scolipede, a force to be reckoned with even in ancient times?

_I guess we'll find out,_ Volan decided – then the battle begun.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Bet you guys weren't expecting Scolipede! Or Arbok, for that matter (I love Arbok…). For the record, Roxie doesn't have a Garbodor in this story, because the one on her team in the anime had an absolutely ridiculous voice.**

**So, will Volan earn his fourth badge? Find out in the next chapter!**

**Roxie's Garbodor: "Gah-bleeeehh-deh! ****_Review if you like my voice!_****"**

**Grunge: "GARBODOR! ****_This is a REAL Garbodor's voice!_****"**

**Arbok: "Chaaaaa-boka! ****_Just review, readers!_****"**

**Chapter Question #29: If you were a Gym Leader, what type would you specialize in, and which Pokemon would you use?**

**I'd be a Flying-type Gym Leader! And my chosen partners would be Archeops, Honchkrow, Noivern, and Noctowl.**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Tranquill, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Aerial Ace, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Rain Dance, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Crunch, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Protect, Poison Tail, Attract**


	40. Back Past Castelia with the Toxic Badge

**_Chapter 39 – Back Past Castelia with the Toxic Badge_**

**Last time on "Tale of a Legend"…**

**Volan and Roxie got their battle underway soon after arriving at the Virbank City Gym. For the first round, it was Bernice versus Roxie's Koffing, and Bernice managed to win after using Roost to heal herself. Roxie used her Arbok next, which sent Rickie to combat. After a short but fierce battle, Rickie managed to defeat Arbok. But then, Roxie sent out her most powerful Pokemon – the mighty Scolipede! With only two attacks, the Megapede Pokemon defeated Rickie, and Volan sent Bernice back in to battle next, unsure of victory but with faith in his treasured Starter.**

-.-.-.-.-.

"Bernice, start strong with Aerial Ace!" cried Volan, calling the first attack.

"Trrrranquill!" squawked the Wild Pigeon Pokemon, swooping into battle with white streaks of energy trailing behind her.

"Drive her away with Poison Sting, Scolipede!" ordered Roxie.

The immense Bug-and-Poison-type reared her head back and released a barrage of glowing purple needles from her mouth that whistled loudly as they streaked through the air toward Bernice. But the Tranquill easily maneuvered around each Poison Sting, not getting hit even once. She crashed into Scolipede's chest, succeeding in staggering the towering myriapod.

"S-Scola!" muttered Scolipede, wincing from the blow and digging in her feet to steady herself.

"Excellent job, Bernice," Volan said, allowing himself to relax somewhat. The way Bernice had dove so boldly into the storm of toxic needles had alarmed him. "Now, let's go for an Air Cutter!"

"Quill, Tranquill!" trilled Bernice. Her wings glowed brightly as she battered Scolipede with a flurry of wind currents. Most of them shattered on Scolipede's shell, but a few connected with her softer underbelly and slowly drove her back.

"Power through them with Poison Jab!" commanded Roxie.

"SCOLIPEDE!" screeched the Megapede Pokemon, her horns glowing as luminously as Bernice's wings. She charged forward through the storm of Air Cutters and tossed her head upward at the last second, hitting Bernice and sending her tumbling through the air.

"Trrranquill…" Bernice murmured, steadying her wings and leveling out in the air. She cruised down back to her original position, although occasionally a spasm of pain would cause her to stagger.

"You can do this, Bernice," Volan encouraged her. "Now use Air Cutter, but aim for the legs."

"Trrran!" she affirmed, gathering her strength. It appeared that she was getting used to the pain from Scolipede's attack as she flapped her wings strongly, aiming another flurry of Air Cutters at the ground beneath Scolipede.

One of the currents impacted close to Scolipede's foot, causing her to rear up in surprise. Her vulnerable underbelly was exposed as she waved her front legs in the air like some freakish equine. The time to strike was now!

"Bernice, Aerial Ace!" shouted Volan.

"Trrrrranquill!" shrieked Bernice, forgetting the pain she was in entirely. She shot forward in a streak of white light, smashing directly into Scolipede's soft underside. She hit with such force that the Bug-and-Poison-type was actually lifted off the ground a short distance, before she fell back onto the floor with an immense crash.

"Scolipede, get up!" yelled Roxie. "You can take this!"

"S-Scola…" stammered Scolipede, slowly rising back onto her feet. Although she tried to hide it, it appeared to Volan that one of her legs was shaking more than the others. _It must be hurt,_ he realized.

His gaze hardened, and he prepared to strike once more. "Bernice, use another Aerial Ace!"

"Counter with Iron Defense!" retorted Roxie.

Even as Bernice circled back toward Volan and began to speed towards Scolipede again, her opponent's tough exoskeleton began to gleam silver, indicating that it would be impossible to break through its steel-like consistency. Volan noticed this, and knew that Bernice would be the one to get damaged. "Pull up, Bernice!" he cried, voice carrying easily across the stage.

The Tranquill rapidly lost speed as she prepared to circle away from Scolipede, but she was already too close for comfort. Roxie could see this as well, and was willing to exploit it. "While she's close, use Poison Sting!" she ordered.

"Scol scola!" replied Scolipede, rearing her head back and spitting out a stream of toxic needles. Before Bernice could pull away to a safe distance, every one of the Poison Stings met its mark on her chest and wings, battering her thoroughly before she could escape.

Volan noticed the way that Bernice seemed to limp through the air back towards him – it appeared that the poisoning effect of the Poison Sting had taken effect. There was something he could do, but it was risky. "Head back toward Scolipede and use Hypnosis!" he cried, mentally crossing his fingers.

Bernice had only flown a short distance away from Scolipede before she circled back around towards her. At the same time, a trio of blue orbs appeared from her body and spun around at a mesmerizing speed. Scolipede couldn't look away from the display, and began to feel drowsy. With a moan, she toppled to the floor with an earth-shaking crash.

"Scolipede!" screeched Roxie, trying to wake her Pokemon up. "Snap out of it, damn it! This battle isn't over!"

Volan allowed himself a moment to relax. "Good work, Bernice. Now use Roost."

"Trranquill," she replied, fluttering to the ground whilst becoming cloaked in yellow light. As Scolipede snored, Bernice stood exhaustedly on the floor in front of her master and was slowly healed. Her poisoned condition didn't go away, but at least she was fully healed at the moment.

Volan knew the risks of using Roost, and thus was prepared when Scolipede finally opened her eyes and climbed shakily to her feet. Bernice wasn't able to fly just yet, so soon after healing herself.

"Quickly, Scolipede! Give them an Earthquake!" cried Roxie, eager to finish the battle.

"SCOLA!" screamed the Megapede Pokemon, slamming her horns into the ground. A huge shockwave swept forth from the impact site, causing the ground to shake uncontrollably.

It was here that Volan felt the draft from a fan in the background. Perhaps it had been turned on as a result of the tremor, but nevertheless, he made a decision out of sheer desperation. "Bernice, jump and glide!" he yelled over the noise.

"Quill Tranquill!" trilled Bernice, spreading her wings and taking a mighty leap. Although she couldn't fly at the moment, her wide wingspan caught the draft from the fan and allowed her to be boosted up over the shockwave.

"No!" spat Roxie out of sheer frustration. "I was sure we had them that time!"

Volan allowed a smile to crease his face as he called out his next command. "Bernice, Aerial Ace on Scolipede's injured leg!"

The Wild Pigeon Pokemon landed on the ground and immediately took off, dashing across the floor toward the shocked Scolipede. Surrounded by the usual nimbus of energy, Bernice crashed into her leg. The pain and shock was too much for the limb to take, and Scolipede toppled once again, for the last time.

"That was so AWESOME!" exclaimed Ricky. "Uh, I mean… Scolipede is unable to continue, so Volan and Bernice win the battle!"

Volan slumped with relief, as did Bernice. The Gurei boy walked forward onto the battlefield, kneeling down beside his Starter. She looked up at him excitedly, happy that they had won again. But Bernice suddenly staggered from the effect of the poison on her, breaking her eye contact with her master.

"Here," said the voice of Roxie, and Volan looked up at her. She was holding out a small pink berry.

He took it and examined it. "What is it?" he wondered. He couldn't remember seeing anything like this particular fruit.

"It's a Pecha berry," Roxie explained. "They naturally heal poison. I always keep a bunch of 'em on hand, just in case of accidents. I specialize in Poison-type Pokemon, so they're dead useful."

Volan examined the Pecha berry one more time before offering it to Bernice. She took it in her beak and gulped it down whole, appearing to enjoy the taste. Several seconds later, she perked up, the sag in her posture gone for good, and fluttered back onto Volan's shoulder.

"Thanks for that, Roxie," he said to the young Gym Leader, standing up to see eye-to-eye with her.

"Don't mention it," she replied, trying to appear nonchalant. Instead, Volan noticed that she looked a little flustered.

Roxie suddenly seemed to remember something, and started digging around in her pocket. "I suppose I owe you a Gym badge, huh?" she murmured, almost to herself.

She pulled her hand back out of her pocket and held a small piece of metal out for Volan to take. It consisted of a series of ever-growing purple circles, and was rimmed with gold as with all the other badges he had earned.

"This is the Toxic Badge," Roxie told him seriously. "Go on, take it. You beat me fair and square, yeah?"

Volan gave her a small grin and accepted the Toxic Badge. He didn't notice Roxie flinch slightly when his fingers scraped against her palm.

Suddenly, Thrin and Stephan were there with them. "Now _that_ was impressive," Thrin said, Valkyrie in her arms.

"I don't think I could have done that," Stephan admitted. "Looks like I've got a lot of training to do, huh?"

Volan blinked. "You're not going to challenge Roxie for a badge as well?" he inquired incredulously.

"Nope," Stephan replied, shaking his head. "I definitely need to step up my training if I want to earn any more Gym badges."

Thrin looked around distastefully at their surroundings. It was clear to Volan that she found the rough, shabby environment a little unsettling. "Well then, shouldn't we be going?" she asked. "We have a ferry to take to Castelia City, don't we?"

Suddenly, Volan felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned back towards Roxie, who looked a bit uncomfortable. "Hey Volan," she said hesitantly. "You… you will come back, won't you?" She paused, then hastily added, "You know, for a rematch."

Volan grinned and shook her hand. "I'll come back for a visit eventually. You're a nice girl, Roxie."

Roxie blushed and looked away.

"First time I've heard that out of anyone," Billy Jo could be heard saying in the background.

-.-.-.-.-.

Two hours later, the trio of Trainers found themselves setting foot once more in the hustle and bustle of Castelia City. It was close to the afternoon, and citizens were walking around in all directions. They headed immediately for the Pokemon Center on Volan's request, to give both Rickie and Bernice a quick checkup and healing if necessary.

While they waited for Nurse Joy to return with Volan's Pokemon, the three of them wandered off in separate directions. Stephan went to the cafeteria to grab a quick bite, Thrin headed to the Poke Mart to stock up on food and other supplies, and Volan made his way over to the video phones. It had been a while since he had last called his mother, and he was feeling slightly guilty for not thinking to call sooner. He never liked it when his mother worried about him.

Volan slotted in a coin and dialed Professor Juniper's number, then waited for someone to pick up on the other end. But if he expected Emily Gurei or the professor herself, he was in for a surprise – instead of either of the two women, it was one of Professor Juniper's aides who answered.

"Juniper Labs, Nuvema Town, speaking," greeted the aide professionally. "Who might this be?"

Temporarily taken aback, Volan quickly found his voice and answered, "Volan Gurei. I was wondering if my mother is still staying with the professor?"

The aide shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mister Gurei," he answered. "She left just this morning."

"Ah," Volan replied, not being able to think of anything else to say. Then he recovered again and continued, "I'm sorry to have bothered you with this."

"Oh no, it's no trouble," the aide assured him with a smile. "You take care now."

"You as well," Volan said, and hung up. Rapidly, he gave up another coin and dialed his home number. He hoped his mother was home and not running some errand around Lacunosa Town.

But he needn't have worried – on the third ring, the screen flickered to life, and he found himself face-to-face with his mother. "Volan, dearest!" she said happily. "It's so nice to see your handsome face again!"

Volan couldn't help but blush and smile modestly from his mother's praise. "Sorry I haven't called sooner," he apologized. "I've been rather busy, you know," he added as an afterthought, thinking of all the events he had gotten himself caught up in – Gym badges, Team Plasma, and the Club Battle Tournament.

"No, no, it's perfectly fine," Emily Gurei replied, waving his apology away. "I worry about you all the time, dear, but I know that you have your Pokemon and your sister to take care of you."

"And me of them," Volan said with a slight grin.

His mother nodded thoughtfully. "And you of them, yes," she agreed with a chuckle.

Bernice shifted on his shoulder, and Volan suddenly remembered. "Wait just a moment, Mom," he told her, then held up his arm for Bernice to hop down onto. He then brought his arm up in front of the screen and allowed the Tranquill to see Emily eye-to-eye.

"Trrrranquill!" she trilled, spreading her wings and puffing out her chest proudly, showing off her sleeker, more powerful form.

But Emily's reaction wasn't one of stunned surprise as Volan had thought. Instead, she just smiled and said, "Oh yes, congratulations! Bernice, this is simply glorious! It's such a good thing to see our dear Pidove growing up…" She paused to dab at her eyes with a dishtowel – it appeared that Volan had caught her in the middle of washing the dishes.

"You're not surprised?" Volan inquired, raising his eyebrows.

"Oh, silly me," his mother giggled. "I meant to tell you this, but Aurea and I were both watching the Club Battle Tournament in Virbank City. I saw all of your wonderful victories, Volan!"

Now it was Volan who was experiencing a feeling of stunned surprise. "I-It was broadcasted?" he managed to say, sharing a quick look with Bernice. She hadn't expected this, either.

"I would have assumed you would have known, Volan," Emily said, frowning. "Most of the tournaments around Unova are broadcasted. Then again, you haven't really been fond of television these days. You've just retreated into your books."

Volan nodded numbly. The entire tournament had been broadcasted? That not only meant that his mother had seen him and Bernice crushingly defeated, but it also meant that potentially the entire Unovan population had witnessed it as well. He suddenly felt nervous and overwhelmed – a curious blend of emotions to be sure.

It appeared that Emily could read his feelings. Mothers had a tendency to do that. "Now, Volan," she said encouragingly. "Defeat is a part of growing up, you realize. You simply can't overcome every obstacle you face the first time. Life would be too easy then, wouldn't it?"

Volan sighed. "You're right, Mom," he answered. "But after Bernice and I worked so hard, and she even managed to evolve… it was very… I don't know. I had my hopes high for the outcome."

Emily nodded understandingly. "Don't worry about it, Volan," she encouraged him with a smile.

Then Volan thought of something else equally as worrying.

"What about Thrin?" he asked. "I felt so guilty after seeing her so disappointed after our battle… if she knew that you had seen her too…"

His mother hushed him with a raise of her hand. "When Thrin calls me on her own, her and I will talk about that. She's a hopeful and spirited girl. I'm sure she'll be just fine."

Volan relaxed a little. He could trust her with his sister and her feelings. Mothers knew best, after all.

"So how did you find the tournament?" Emily asked abruptly. "Exciting? Bracing? Or simply fun?"

"All of those things," Volan said with a smile.

"Trrrran!" agreed Bernice.

His mother smiled broadly. "I'm so happy that you got to participate in one of those events, Volan," she told him. "Special occasions such as that help increase the bonds not only between you and your Pokemon, but between you and your friends as well."

Volan squirmed uncomfortably. Emily Gurei knew all too well about that fateful day and his hatred of strangers. Speaking of which…

"Mom," he began, "I couldn't believe this at first, but Caitlin was there as well! I've wanted so much to see her again."

Unbeknownst to Volan, his eyes had lit up with a sparkle that his mother had seen only once before, four years ago in fact, when he mentioned his old friend's name. His eyes had glinted like that when he told her about his conversation with Caitlin near Undella Bay that afternoon. Emily suspected she knew what was causing such excitement in her son, but decided to let it slide for now.

"It has been a long time since you've seen her, hasn't it?" she asked instead. "Was she happy to see you again?"

"Oh, that's the best part," Volan replied, reminiscing briefly. "She was indeed."

Emily saw his eyes sparkle again, and smiled faintly to herself. But then, the smile faded when she saw something else – it was only a quick flash of color, but the elder Gurei could have sworn she saw a pixie-like creature hovering over Volan's shoulder for just an instant.

Volan brought himself out of his thoughts and noticed his mother's curious, confused expression. "What's the matter?" he asked concernedly.

Rapidly, Emily shook away the expression and pushed her thoughts away momentarily. "Nothing, dear," she said hastily. "I just thought I saw something for a moment. Never you mind."

Wondering briefly what she was talking about, Volan decided not to dwell on it. "Anyhow," he began, changing the subject, "Thrin and I are on our way to Nimbasa City along with one of our new friends. Would it be good if I called you again there?"

"Of course!" said Emily, her voice practically a chirp. "Nimbasa City is a bit… overwhelming if you've never been there before, and rather large as well, but I'm sure you'll be fine. There will be a lot there to keep you busy as well!"

No one knew it just yet, but there would indeed be a lot keeping Volan busy in Nimbasa…

"Alright then," Volan said, wrapping up the conversation. "It's been great talking with you again, Mom. See you again soon."

"Trrrranquill!" squawked Bernice, waving a wing.

Emily smiled and waved as well. "Farewell, Volan! You as well, Bernice!"

And with that, the screen winked out.

Volan breathed a quick, satisfied sigh before turning to the spot where he knew Victini to be hovering. "It was you she saw, wasn't it?" he asked the Legendary.

"Tini…" Victini whispered, coming out of his invisible state and shrugging uncomfortably. The little fairy-like Pokemon settled himself on Volan's head, nestling down into the boy's dirty-blond hair, before fading away again.

_Victini is like me,_ Volan suddenly realized. _He doesn't like strangers. He's afraid to open up to others. But… why does he like me so much then?_

Forcing himself to ignore these thoughts, and deciding to think more on them later, Volan headed off to the Poke Mart to find his sister. Once their supplies were replenished, their bellies were full, and their Pokemon were ready to travel again, Volan and company would be on their way to Nimbasa City, and their next big adventure to be had.

-.-.-.-.-.

**So Volan gets the Toxic Badge! Four down and four to go! Take that, Scolipede! And it looks like Caitlin has a bit of competition as well… will this prove to be a problem in later chapters?**

**Anyway, we get to see another chat between Volan and his mother this time around. It seems that Emily Gurei is already suspecting her son's feelings toward his old friend, and wondering about the identity of the creature watching over Volan. Will Victini ever feel comfortable around others enough to show himself completely?**

**Review please, and catch you later!**

**Chapter Question #30: Should Roxie and her apparent crush on Volan be further implemented in this story?**

**-.-.-.-.-.**

**Volan's Party****:  
Bernice (Tranquill, female)  
Ability: Big Pecks  
Attacks: Air Cutter, Roost, Aerial Ace, Hypnosis**

**Grunge (Garbodor, male)  
Ability: Weak Armor  
Attacks: Pound, Body Slam, Poison Gas, Solarbeam**

**Rickie (Palpitoad, male)  
Ability: Hydration  
Attacks: Bubblebeam, Uproar, Rain Dance, Mud Shot**

**Rudy (Sandile, male)  
Ability: Moxie  
Attacks: Thunder Fang, Crunch, Sand Tomb, Dig**

**Thrin's Party****:  
Oliver (Pignite, male)  
Ability: Blaze  
Attacks: Flame Charge, Tail Whip, Body Slam, Arm Thrust**

**Luna (Munna, female)  
Ability: Synchronize  
Attacks: Psywave, Defense Curl, Yawn, Psybeam**

**Valkyrie (Venipede, female)  
Ability: Poison Point  
Attacks: Rollout, Protect, Poison Tail, Attract**


End file.
